


Crash

by aLadyAlways



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Happy Ending, I wanted to make it fluffy, Love struck Idiots, M/M, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Mutual Pining, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, but I think it's just really sappy, it just got so cheesy midways, mild slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-11-11 15:30:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 40,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11151318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aLadyAlways/pseuds/aLadyAlways
Summary: 5 seconds4 seconds3 seconds2 seconds1 secondA loud crash."Oi, bastard! Watch the fuck out where you’re going!”A story about finding his soulmate, about exertions and problems, about passion and dedication and about the events of a whole life.





	1. 17:03:01:05:23:17:45

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!  
> This one here started as a One Shot, but I decided midway that I split it up. I'm almost half way through writing it, so the first chapters will be updated quiet regularly. The chapters won't be that long, but some of them got a little bit out of hand, whoops. The first one here is the shortest so far.  
> When there are any mistakes please let me know, it's the first time I wrote a story in English right from the beginning and not just translating it.  
> So, have fun reading!

_20:01:01:03:00:25:00_

...

_20:00:00:00:00:00:00_

 

Two children, born in a world where fate defines every single life. Every single moment. Every single movement.

Two children, born to meet each other and to be part of the others life forever.

 

 

_17:03:01:05:23:17:45_

 

Oikawa Tooru was three years old and currently playing with a stuffed alien when he first noticed the light blue numbers on his forearm.

 

With big brown eyes he watched the numbers, embedded on his soft skin, seeing some of them vanish just to be replaced immediately by others. He couldn’t count yet nor did he know what the numbers stood for, but he had the sudden feeling that they were important.

 

His stuffed alien long forgotten he slowly stood up, legs a little wobbly, and toddled towards the living room, following the quiet noises of the television.

 

His mother Hana was ironing some clothes while watching her favorite soap opera, quietly humming a soft tune she heard earlier in the radio. Toorus eyes searched for numbers on his mothers forearm but didn’t find them.

 

When he finally approached her his little fist clutched at the hem of her skirt, tugging a bit to be noticed.

 

“Tooru” Hana turned her head to look at her little son, a lovely smile on her lips. She put the iron aside to crouch down. With gentle fingers she stroked Toorus brown hair, flashing him a reassuring smile when she saw the slightly terrified expression on his face. “Something’s wrong, sweetie?”

 

The little boy pointed at the numbers on his skin, looking a bit concerned now, knowing the lack of numbers on his mothers skin. He was suddenly scared that something was wrong with him.

 

“What are these numbers, _haha_?” His brown eyes bored into her gentle blue ones, his voice quieter than usual.

 

Hana sighed in relief that he hadn’t hurt himself or something equally bad. With a quick motion she sat herself down on the floor, the crouching wasn’t the best position to sit in for longer. She indicated to her son to move a bit closer and Tooru immediately climbed on her lap.

 

“These numbers, Tooru” Hana began with a soothing voice, “stand for the moment where you’ll meet the one person with whom you’ll spend your entire life with.”

 

Tooru looked a bit confused and looked down on his forearm, the 17 was gone and replaced by a 9. He still didn’t know what the numbers exactly stand for but before he could ask his mother has taken a hold of his arm and was pointing at the last two numbers.

 

“Look, the numbers are counting down, you see?” 18 turned into 17 and than to 16, to 15, to 14. “Every second that pass brings you closer to your so called soulmate. The last two numbers here are the seconds that are left.”

 

Her fingers moved to slowly stroke over the next two numbers. Tooru watched as the 9 turned into an 8 while the seconds turned into 59. “These are the minutes. With every minute that pass the seconds will start by 59 all over again.” Tooru flashed his mother an even more confused gaze. She snickered quietly. “It’s the concept of time, but don’t worry, one day you will understand all of it.” One hand rested on his cheek while the other on his arm moved towards the next numbers.

 

“These stand for hours. In eight minutes there will be a 22 instead of the 23 and the minutes will start at 59 just like the seconds. The next numbers show you the amount of days, weeks and months that are left. Seven days are one week while 4 weeks are usually a month.”

 

“I know, it’s a bit confusing.” She added softly when she saw the gears in her little son’s head working fast. Her fingers hovered over the last two numbers.

 

“This is the last number, it stands for the years that you still have to wait. When every other number on your arm turned zero it’s only one more second until a whole year of waiting is over. And by the time even that last number is zero it’s the exact time you stand in front of your soulmate.” She finished her explanation with a quick peck on Tooru's forehead.

 

Tooru was beyond confused right know, even more than before, but he tried his best to understand what his mother just said.

 

“So, in …” Not knowing what the first number is called he simply pointed at it. “… that number of years I will meet my sow- soa- … my soulmate?” He repeated and seconds after he looked at his mother’s face, excitement written all over his little face. “How long will it take, _haha_? Am I meeting my soulmate soon?”

 

Hana stroked once again over his hair. “Unfortunately not. You still have some years to wait. Some people find their soulmate during childhood, while others have to wait their whole life.”

 

The look of extreme sadness spread over her son’s face made her heart clench. She didn’t like it at all when her little, precious Tooru was sad. “Don’t worry, sweetie, you won’t have to wait that long. I think it will happen in your first year of college, so it’s still a bit to wait but not too much.” Once again she flashed him a reassuring smile.

 

Tooru smiled back, feeling a bit better now and he was about to climb down his mother’s lap when he remembered something.

 

“ _Haha_ , why don’t you have these numbers?”

 

Hana laughed. Her son was clever, nothing escaped his gaze.

 

“That’s because I already found my soulmate long time ago, sweetie. The numbers vanish completely the second you meet your soulmate and will never appear again.”

 

That was quite understandable, Tooru decided. He yet had one question left open.

 

“Is _chichi_ your soulmate?” He asked, eyes once again big and filled with happiness.

 

Against his expectations Hana sighed.

 

“No, your father is not my soulmate. It’s his brother, that’s how we met each other fifteen years ago.”

 

The little boy was about to ask something, a bit confusion back on his face, but Hana was faster. “Your soulmate isn’t always the person you fell in love with and start a family with. Indeed, most people’s soulmates are only friends. These are very good, very deep and caring friendships and they never fell apart, but these are still only friendships. But soulmates that actually fall in love with each other will be together forever. There’s not a single chance that they will stop loving the other.”

 

Tooru sensed his mother’s sadness and wrapped his arms around her neck. “You and _chichi_ will be together forever, too. Don’t be sad.”

 

He felt his mother’s arms wrapping around his body, pressing him close and holding him tight.

 

“Yeah, _chichi_ and I will be together forever. I never doubted it a single day.” Her voice was quiet and her eyes were a bit glassy, but not because she was afraid that she and her husband could brake up in the future. She was just happy that her son was such a gentle and caring individual who could sense someone's feelings miles away, despite his young age.

 

After a minute they broke the embrace. Hana was looking into his eyes, once again wearing a gentle smile.

 

“Do you have any other questions, sweetie?”

 

The little boy took a moment to think of any question that was still floating in his mind, but he didn’t find any. He shook his head and climbed out of his mother’s lap.

 

“All right, when you want to know anything, just let me know, okay, sweetie?”

 

“Yes, _haha_.”

 

With that Tooru toddled back into his room to play with his stuffed alien. Hana watched his little figure wobbling out of the room, her heart full of caring love for her youngest son.

 

She couldn’t wait until in seventeen years Tooru would meet his soulmate. And knowing her son, Tooru couldn’t wait either.


	2. 04:03:02:06:00:31:04

Thirteen years had passed since the conversation with his mother about the numbers on his forearm. Tooru was now a sixteen year old boy, blessed with incredibly good looks, an athletic but still slender figure and a charming smile that made every girl swoon. Yet he still hadn’t found his soulmate, instead he had to wait four more years.

 

Three years after his mother had told him about the numbers he learned the numbers in school and one more year after that he finally understood the concept of time. Now he finally knew how much time the numbers meant exactly and he had groaned at the seemingly endless amount of fourteen more long years to wait.

 

At the exact moment he was about to enter high school for the first time in his life. With him was his best friend Hanamaki Takahiro. Both were accepted into Aoba Johsai High due to their excellent skills in playing volleyball.

 

Tooru and Takahiro were best friends since elementary school. At the first day they had sat side by side on a table and Tooru had made a move forward to talk to the reddish-brown haired boy beside him. After a few minutes he had asked the question that most kids had asked at some time in their childhood.

 

“Do you want to be best friends?”

 

Takahiro just shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, sure.” With that it was settled. They both joined a local volleyball club for kids and especially Tooru noticed how much fun it was to toss the ball to others so that they can spike them on the other side of the net.

 

In the years that followed he learned to love Volleyball even more. Even at his young age he was already one of the best setters in his age in the whole prefecture. He loved to have such a great amount of control over the ball that his spiker could hit it in the perfect angle to spike it so hard and fast to the ground without the other team even noticing that the ball was already out of the game.

 

Since he began to play volleyball it was his dream to one day become professional and join the Japanese national volleyball team. And with being accepted into Aoba Johsai he was one step closer to accomplish his goal.

 

Being so deeply caught in his thoughts about the thing he loved most in his life he completely forgot about the mess who was his best friend beside him.

 

He remembered him only when he felt a hand tugging at his sleeves and a whining voice blubbered in his ear.

 

“Tooru! I can’t wait any longer!! Only three minutes left!”

 

Tooru felt a bit guilty at the thought why it had to be Takahiro to be the first one of them to find his soulmate. He was jealous, not much, but the jealousy was definitely there, although he never wanted to admit that in front of his best friend. Or in front of anybody else.

 

Instead he let a reassuring smile sneak on his lips, knowing nobody could ever see through his fake mask. He was glad about it, it spared him a lot of trouble.

 

“Relax, Makki. I’m certain your soulmate is just as nervous as you are. But you don’t have to worry at all. Soulmates doesn’t hate each other, you know that.”

 

Makki took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. “Yeah, you’re right. I just. Have. To. _Relax_.” He paused for three seconds. “Oh shit, man, that’s not easy at all!”

 

Tooru snickered and Makki send him a murderous glance.

 

“Wait until you meet _your_ soulmate, shitface! I’m pretty sure you’ll shit your pants before or something equally embarrassing.”

 

“Well, I’ve tons of years left ‘til my soulmate pops into my life, so I still have plenty of time left to brace myself for the moment. Besides, _I’m_ gonna be totally cool about it, mark my words, Makki-chan!” His voice was thick with arrogance and self-confidence, but his inside turned upside down just at the thought of meeting his respective other.

 

Makki rolled his eyes, he knew that Tooru was exaggerating as always. “Yeah, whatever.”

 

Two minutes later they approached their classroom. It was rather empty, but they still had plenty of time before class started, so it wasn’t that surprising.

 

“Oh oh, Tooru, there are only seconds now.” Makki was fanning air in front of his face. “Oh god, I think I can’t breath. Oh god. _Oh god_!”

 

Just as Tooru wanted to mock his friend again the latter slipped and stumbled a bit backwards, arms flailing to hold his balance, but he failed. He fell backwards and was already dreading the moment his body will hit the floor but that never happened.

 

Instead he landed in a strong pair of arms.

 

“Whoa, slow down there.” A low voice spoke behind him. He felt himself lifted up by the person who caught him mid-fall, so that he could stand on his own feet again instead of hanging limply in some other guys arms.

 

The moment he stood again he turned around immediately to see who caught him. He was greeted by a guy a little bit taller than him, maybe one inch. His slightly curly hair was dark and a bit messy, his dark gray eyes were a bit beady and in general he seemed to be bored as hell. But his voice said otherwise.

 

“Are you okay?” He asked gently, refusing to look at something other than the slightly smaller boy in front of him. Something inside him seemed to be slipping into the right place and he felt that a long lost part of him has now returned.

 

Makki felt the exact same thing. He nodded wordlessly and turned his hand to look at the numbers on his arm.

 

They were gone.

 

His head snapped back and he send his soulmate a wide smile. The sparkle in his eyes wasn’t to be missed.

 

He held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Hanamaki Takahiro, but nearly everybody calls me Makki. Nice to meet you!”

 

The other guy grinned as well and returned the gesture. “I’m Matsukawa Issei, nice to meet you, too.”

 

They held hands a little bit longer than necessary and Tooru watched, leaning against a table, arms crossed, anger rising in him. He was more than just a bit jealous now. He wanted something like that happen to him, too. And not just in four years. No, _now_! Thank you very much.

 

He was happy for his best friend, but the longer he looked them wallow in their happiness the more he felt lonely. Suddenly, he felt like something of him was missing. But as suddenly as the feeling appeared, as suddenly it was gone again.

 

He watched Makki talking with the Matsukawa guy for a few minutes before Makki remembered he wasn’t alone in the classroom.

 

“Oh, hey, that guy over there is my best friend, Oikawa Tooru. Although I don’t know how I could’ve ever accepted to be his best friend.” He flashed Tooru a happy smile. “Say hi to Matsukawa.”

 

“What am I, a child?” Tooru asked, a bit more irritated than intended. But neither of the boys in front of him seemed to notice. They were too caught in their happiness. Tooru felt like he might throw up in the next two minutes.

 

Standing up, he waved his hand in Matsukawa’s direction and flashed him a charming smile, the one that completely covered his feelings. “Hi.”

 

“Hi, too.”

 

Tooru eyed him for a moment, before he came to a conclusion. “I’ll call you Mattsun.” He chirped cheerfully. At the sight of Matsuk- no, _Mattsun’s_ confused expression he added, “Matsukawa is way too long to spell every time I talk to you, isn’t it?” He shrugged his shoulders.

 

Mattsun turned his head to look at Makki. The latter chuckled. “He’s always this way. Don’t be bothered, Tooru can’t be helped anyway.” He stuck his tongue out and Tooru laughed, despite his gloomy condition. At least Makki’s teasing hadn’t changed. Than again he only met his soulmate like what, five minutes ago? From now on everything could change. Suddenly, he was afraid of loosing his best friend for years to some jumped-up soulmate.

 

Quickly, Tooru decided that it was way to early to be mad about things that didn’t even happened yet, maybe didn’t even happen at all. Besides that – when he started frowning in this young age he might get wrinkles and hell, he wanted this to prolong as long as possible. He didn’t want to damage his endless beauty because of some jealousy.

 

He pushed the unwanted thoughts about loosing best friends and yet non-existent soulmates away and this time his smile was genuine.

 

“You mean I was always this appealing and beautiful and hands down the most gorgeous man the world ever saw? Oh thank you, baby~” With one hand on his hips and the other getting a lost lock out of his face he winked and send Makki an air-kiss.

 

Makki rolled his eyes once again. “Just ignore him.” He gave advise to his new found soulmate.

 

“I will, thank you for the warning.” Mattsun chuckled quietly.

 

Toorus mouth snapped open. “Mean!”

 

Makki and Mattsun laughed in unison.

 

Even after class started both were talking quietly, more than once getting caught, but neither of them wanted to stop to drill the other with questions. During lunch Tooru had the chance to be part of the conversation and slowly he forgot about the stinging feeling in his chest that craved to be healed by the appearance of his own personal soulmate.


	3. 01:03:03:06:11:01:58

_Just one year. Just one more single fucking year. Well, and almost four months, but that doesn’t matter right now. One. Year._

 

Everything Tooru could think about was the time left until he’ll finally meet his soulmate. All he wanted was this time to be over this instant.

 

He was sick of people around him finding their soulmate. All the time the same procedure – he went to school and almost everyday he witnessed students in the halls running into their respective other, sometimes falling into each others arms, most of them laughing. Some were even crying.

 

He was sick of girls running after him, asking him if he was the one who made their clock vanish, just because he was in the same room when it happened.

 

Just t o  pretend misunderstandings – Tooru usually  _loved_ it when girls were scooting around him, batting their eye lashes, giggling and squirming when he winked at them. He loved it to be in the center of attention. Loved it being the most wanted guy in school. 

 

The first time he was asked by a girl if his clock already ran out of time, he send her a pitying smile and apologized. _Sorry,_ _Akiko-chan, but I still have time left. I’m_ _so incredibly sorry, but I’m not your soulmate._ His voice was full of  well hidden feigned sadness, his eyes fixed to hers. He saw the tears in her eyes, nearly spilling out to run over her soft cheeks. His hand was on her cheek, wiping away an escaped tear. _Please don’t cry, I’m pretty sure the one is in this room right now._ She nodded weakly, said _Thank you, Oikawa-san, I hope you’ll find your soulmate soon_ and walked away, searching for the right one. He sighed. 

 

After that he was asked almost twice a week if he’s the one, but  every time he had to deny. At first he loved the attention as always, but the more time passed the more he got impatient and irritated. Why couldn’t they just look at his damn arm, noticing that he had still three, two, one and a half years left? Why did they had to rub their fucking happiness in his face, screaming  _LOOK, WE’VE FOUND THE ONE, WHAT ABOUT YOU, LOSER_ ? 

 

His third year was full of jealousy. Tooru tried his best to hide it and be as cheerful and charming as always and a part of him was happy that nobody noticed anything. The other part, though wished that at least his best friends were able to look through his mask, that he could’ve talked to someone about his misery, but he wished vainly.

 

Speaking of best friends – luckily, his fear of losing Makki to Mattsun didn’t turned into reality. Nothing had changed between him and Makki, except that they were now one guy more. In the past three years they had a lot of fun, laughing, fooling around and making fun of each other quiet constantly.

 

High School was over pretty fast. The three years went by in a flash, nights of studying and days of playing Volleyball now giving way to college life. Not that they  weren’t going to do the  exact same things in college, but it was different. More mature, more responsibility and just more of everything in general. 

 

All three of them were going to the same university in Tokyo. Makki and Mattsun had managed to get a dorm room together, Tooru would get to know his room mate this day.

 

There were only a few days left until college started  and today was the day Tooru moved out of his parents’ house in Miyagi to live in the big city. 

 

The car screeched to a halt in front of the dorm. Tooru sat there, staring out of the window, looking at his new home for the next four years.

 

_Four years. And only one is without my soulmate!_

 

A  cough disrupted him in his thoughts. He turned his head to look into his mother’s gentle face. 

 

“Time to say goodbye, I guess?” Hana’s eyes were a bit glassy and she tried her best to remain her composure.

 

“Not yet, a bit time is still left.” Tooru’s father Masaru smiled at his wife, trying his best to make her feel better, at least a bit. 

 

O ne hour later everything of Tooru’s belongings were in his room,  waiting to be unpacked and packed away. He was standing with his parents in front of the building,  Hana refused to let him go. Her arms were tightly wrapped around him and she pressed her face into her taller son’s chest. 

 

“Don’t forget to call! And visit us as much as possible. I’m not ready yet to let my baby out into this big world.” 

 

Tooru chuckled. “Mom, I’m taller than you, I’m not a baby anymore.” He heard a very quiet mumble.  _You know what I mean …_ His arms tightened around his mother’s waist. 

 

“Yeah, I know. I’ll call. And I’ll visit you, I promise.” He remembered something. “Hey, call me when Mayumi got her baby, I want to see my nephew.” He added.

 

“Of course we’ll call.” Masaru took a step closer and put a hand on his son’s shoulder, squeezing a bit.

 

“Don’t get yourself in trouble.” He said, his voice serious but his expression kind and caring. “But when there’s anything you can’t help yourself out, call us and were here as fast as we can.”

 

“Thanks, dad.” He send his father a genuine smile, loosening his grip so that his mother could take a step back. 

 

“Be careful, Tooru. And find some nice girl.” She added with a smirk and a wink.

 

“I’ll try, mom.” Tooru couldn’t help but laugh at his mother’s expression.

 

They exchanged some last hugs and goodbyes before Tooru was standing alone in front of his new home, winking after his parents’ car until they were gone. With an excited smile he returned to his room to unpack his boxes.

 

When he opened the door he was surprised to  see a muscular back, crouching in front of a suitcase. He couldn’t see much of him, least of all his face, except of his back and brown hair but something of the guy reminded him of someone. Shrugging the odd feeling of f , he closed the door and prepared himself to introduce himself to the guy. He must be his room mate and ha d to be arrived when Tooru had said goodbye to his parents. He put on his brightest smile and began to talk in his most charming voice.

 

“Yoo-hooo, I’m Oikaw-” He stopped abruptly when the muscular guy turned around, his face now perfectly visible. Tooru would have recognized that scowl in a thousand of people. 

 

“No way. No. FUCKING. WAY!” Tooru couldn’t stop himself from screaming and pressed his back against the door, in an attempt to get as much space between them as possible. Of all people in the world he had to be room mates with Ushijima _fucking_ Wakatoshi?! 

 

“Please tell me it’s a joke and everywhere in here are hidden cameras.” Tooru couldn’t believe it. It _had_ to be some bad joke. 

 

“Hello Oikawa-san, how nice to see you here. We’re room mates now.” Ushijima’s voice was as deep as Tooru remembered. After the horrible loss against Karasuno in their last year of high school, when Ushijima was mocking him for loosing and shit he had hoped to never fucking see his stupid face ever again. 

 

Tooru leaned his head against the door, defeated. “Great.” He mumbled. Well, that means he had to avoid his room as much as possible to avoid sticking with this guy too much. “I sure hope for you you don’t snore. Because when, I’ll rip your fucking throat out.” The threat sounded weaker than intended and usually he would be even more pissed about the whole situation, but right now he was too shocked to threat his worst enemy properly.

 

“Well, you would know if I snore, if you had been a part of our training camps. After all, you really should have come to Shir-”

 

“DON’T YOU DARE SAYING THAT EVER AGAIN, ASSHAT!” Tooru exploded. He didn’t had time for this shit. “I don’t have time for this bullshit.” He stepped away from the door to open it. He wanted to try finding Makki’s and Mattsun’s room. He needed someone he could complain about all that shit. 

 

But before he had the chance to get his hand on the handle the door was pushed open and the next horror entered the room.

 

“Hey, Toshi, I heard screaming. Is your room mate already scared of y-” The tall redhead stopped in the doorway, eyes locked on Toorus face. A smug smile sneaked on his lips and he bend a little over, eyes a little to wide open.

 

“Oh my, if that’s not cute little Oikawa Tooru. How you’re doing, bro?”

 

Right after Ushiwaka, Tendou Satori was the last person Tooru needed in his life right now. This guy was fucking creepy. Tooru rolled his eyes and groaned.  He thr ew his arms up in the air and looked at the ceiling.

 

“Oh god, what have I done to deserve these miseries?!” Without answering Tendou’s question he pushed him out of his way and walked out of the door. He heard him laughing when he went down the hallway to find his best friend’s room.

 

College life in this dorm would be absolutely great and wonderful and nothing at all painful and annoying.

 

He couldn’t even lie to himself.

 

It would be a disaster.


	4. 00:00:00:03:16:10:13

Tooru stood in front of his enormous closet, his eyes ranging over the large amount of clothing in it. With a frustrated sigh he sat back on his bed and buried his head in his hands.

 

“I don’t have _anything_ to wear.” He whined into his hands, the words barely understandable. “How am I supposed to meet my soulmate in this pathetic state?! They will think I’m some strange and creepy vagabond and they don’t want to have anything to do with me!” He buried his head further into his hands, but because of this his new glasses pressed uncomfortably into his sensitive skin. “And fuck these glasses! I hate them!”

 

“Oh, shut up!” Yahaba Shigeru, a friend Tooru met in his first weeks of college, stood with his back against the room door, arms crossed in front of his chest and send Tooru an annoyed glance. “As if someone will _ever_ think that you’re anything but pure perfection. At least on the outside. Look at you, you pathetic lil’ shit. Look at those hordes of squealing girls that follow you _everywhere_.” He let out a little snort and rolled his eyes. “Man, I wished I had so many fangirls like you did. Besides – the person you’ll meet in what? Three days or something? They have to fucking like you, even when you’re wearing a fucking garbage bag.” Yahaba chuckled lightly. “It would suit your personality, though.”

 

Tooru fell back on the bed and looked at the ceiling.“They won’t like me. They will hate me, I’m certain. They will hate me and abandon me and I will be the first human to live a life without a soulmate. At least I will be famous for that.”

 

Yahaba had enough. He grabbed one of the shoes which were scattered around beside the door and threw it at his whining friend on the bed. It hit Tooru right in the stomach.

 

“Oww, what the hell was that for?!” Tooru sat up, rubbing his stomach and looked at Yahaba in betrayal.

 

“You know exactly what that was for, moron. Stop talking so utter bullshit! And now stand the fuck up, search for some clothes and then stop thinking about what will happen in three days! You can’t change it, anyway.”

 

“But I don’t have any clothing!” Tooru cried.

 

Yahaba pointed at Toorus wardrobe. “Look at your fucking closet, you have more clothing than any store I’ve seen in my entire life.”

 

Tooru rolled his eyes and shook his head in pity. “You don’t have any fashion sense, Yahaba. Everything that’s inside that wardrobe is shit! Even the clothes I just bought last month when the new summer collection came out. It’s all shit. My soulmate won’t like it.”

 

Yahaba groaned in frustration. What had he done wrong in life to deserve this torture?

 

“Well, then go out and _buy new clothes,_ _Jesus Christ!_ Just stop whining, it’s maddening!”

 

Suddenly Toorus eyes went wide, glistering with excitement as he jumped up, standing straight and seeing him in this state no one would ever assume that he was a whimpering mess just seconds ago.

 

“Shopping! That’s it.” In a hurry he put on his shoes and than patted Yahaba on his back. “You’re a genius, Yahaba.”

 

And then he was gone, fleeing out of his room, leaving Yahaba behind, utterly confused and wondering what the fuck did just had happened.

 

Tooru ran as fast as possible to Makki’s and Mattsun’s dorm room. He needed Makki right now. They were going shopping and nothing in this world could have stopped him now.

 

Without even thinking about knocking he slammed the door open and stumbled in their room.

 

“Yoo-hoo, Makki, we’re going shopp – _AHH_!” With a jolt Tooru jumped a step back, an arm and a leg a little lifted in a defense mode.

 

His eyes were glued to Makki’s bare back and Mattsun’s hands that were holding onto the hips of his naked soulmate who sat on his lap. Their expressions were hilarious. They were too shocked to move even a single bit, but thinking further about it, moving would be highly inappropriate at that moment.

 

Tooru was the first regaining his composure. With his hands at his hips and his head a little tipped to the side he watched them.

 

“Well, I would have highly appreciated it when I wouldn’t have learned about your relationship that way, buuuuuut that’s unimportant now – Makki, I need your help. Now. Immediately.”

 

With that Makki was taken back into reality, realizing the more than embarrassing situation he was in. He turned a bit towards his best friend, moving his hips in a way that made him and Mattsun equally stifle a moan. At this point, Mattsun had also fully noticed the precarious situation they were in and quickly pulled the blanked around Makki’s hips, to cover their joined lower bodies.

 

“Oikawa, get THE FUCK OUT!”

 

Tooru only shook his head. “No, I need your help.”

 

“That can wait, you fucking shit of a bastard!”

 

“Tsk tsk, watch your tongue, young man.” Tooru winked. “And that can’t wait. It’s important.”

 

Makki let out a frustrated groan. “Well, you’re neither dead nor on the verge of it, so what the fuck do you want?!” He hissed, clearly upset by the whole situation.

 

“First of all – get down of your horse. It’s a bit embarrassing to talk to someone who’s in the middle of sex. Especially when it’s your best friend banging your other best friend.” Tooru shuddered.

 

“YOU’RE ONE TO TALK, BASTARD!” Makki screamed, bouncing unintentionally. “Nghh.” He and Mattsun were moaning in unison.

 

Mattsun had a hard time to remain calm. “Baby, I’m so sorry to say that, but please get up. I don’t know if I can control myself any longer.” He shot a glance towards Tooru, who was visibly smirking. “Even with that moron in here.”

 

Makki nodded weakly and pressed his hands against his apparently-boyfriend’s firm stomach, lifting himself up. He had to suppress a moan due to the immense friction, but in the end he let himself fell back onto the sheets and leaned against the wall. He ran a hand through his hair, making it even messier than before.

 

“So, what do you want?” The look he send Tooru could have killed someone, but Tooru was totally oblivious to Makki’s death threatening.

 

“I will meet my soulmate in three days and I have nothing to wear, so you have to go shopping with me. So get dressed and help me choosing the right clothing.” He showed his most charming smile, knowing that nobody could ever resist him.

 

But apparently Makki was the one who _could_ resist. Before Tooru even had the chance to react Makki jumped out of the bed and threw himself against Tooru’s chest, knocking him off his feet and suddenly they were on the floor, Makki sitting on Tooru’s stomach and his hands daring to grip his throat.

 

“I will kill you. I will actually kill you!” With his hands forming into fists he were hitting on Tooru’s chest.

 

“Whoa, whoa!” Tooru tried to get his arms between his chest and Makki’s fists. “Get off of me, you’re heavy and I don’t want to have your dick in my face.”

 

He was hit in the face by a pillow.

 

“Then don’t look at his dick, dumbass.” Mattsun’s voice was blunt as always, but his eyes were filled with annoyance.

 

“But it’s nearly in my face! I can’t look anywhere else. It’s like an accident!”

 

Another pillow hit his face, followed by a book, but this time Tooru managed to duck away before the book hit him. His glasses sat a bit crooked on his nose.

 

“HEY! Don’t you dare destroy my beautiful face!”

 

“Don’t _you_ dare looking at my boyfriend’s cock!”

 

“As if I have a choice!”

 

“Then close your eyes, shitface!”

 

“Dumbass!”

 

“Moron!”

 

“Jerk!”

 

“Bitch!”

 

“Asshat!”

 

“Motherfu-”

 

“ALL RIGHT GUYS, that’s enough!” Makki screamed, loud and demanding. He grabbed one of the pillows and pressed it in front of his groin before standing up.

 

He pointed at the pillow and looked at his boyfriend. “Thanks, babe.”

 

Mattsun winked. “No problem, baby.”

 

Tooru still sat on the ground, rubbing his head, pushing his glasses back in the right place. “Hey, I’m still here and I still demand your help.”

 

Makki took place on the bed and sighed defeated.

 

“Okay, first of all – thank you for ruining the greatest sex in my life. Just wow.”

 

Tooru flinched and slowly stood up. “Eww, I don’t want anything to hear about your se-” He was rudely interrupted by his furious friend.

 

“ _Second_ – how dare you not even knocking before you enter someones room? Did you forgot your manners or something?!”

 

Tooru opened his mouth, but didn’t even had the chance to say something.

 

“THIRD – did you even know what day it is?”

 

At that question Toorus eyes lit up. “Yeah! It’s three days before I’ll finally meet my souuuuulmaaaaate~” He answered in a singing tone.

 

Makki rolled his eyes. “I mean what holiday, dumbass.”

 

“Ehhh ...”

 

Now Makki groaned and ran a hand over his face. “It’s _Umi-no-hi_ , idiot! And what happens on this day? _Right_ , nearly every single fucking store is closed!”

 

Toorus eyes went wide. Well, that was inconvenient. “Ohh.”

 

“Yes, _ohh_.” Once again Makki stood up, the pillow still pressed against his groin. He reached Tooru and with one hand pressed against his chest he pushed him towards the door, which wasn’t even properly closed. Great, their whole dispute were perfectly audible for everyone out there. Just. Great!

 

“So would you please just get back to your room and leave us the fuck alone?! Thank you.”

 

Speaking the last words he shoved Tooru out of his room and slamming the door with a loud thud in front of his friends hilarious face.

 

Tooru’s mouth was open, his eyes wide and he couldn’t believe that he, the great and ever loved Oikawa Tooru, was thrown out of his best friends room.

 

“But Ushiwaka is certainly back again now! I don’t want to see his stupid face!” He cried, leaning against the closed door. He could have entered again, but some little voice inside his head told him that he wasn’t ready to die yet.

 

“Not my problem.”

 

“Makki, please!”

 

“Shut up, asshat.”

 

Tooru pounded onto the door with his fist.

 

“Then go shopping with me tomorrow!”

 

“NO!”

 

“Pleaaaase.”

 

“I said NO! And now drop dead!”

 

“Not until you’ll go shopping with me!”

 

“No way in hell.”

 

“All right, I’m going to wait here and enjoy hearing you and Mattsun fuck each others brain out~”

 

There was a loud thud and a muffled moan, as if something or someone just fell on the floor. “Don’t you dare, bastard!”

 

“I will and you know it.”

 

Then there were food steps and suddenly the door was opened and Tooru nearly lost his balance.

 

Makki looked even more pissed than before. “When I promise to go shopping with you, will you please shut the fuck up and go back to your own room?” Seeing Tooru’s disgusted face, he added, “Or somewhere else but here?!”

 

Tooru grinned triumphantly, knowing he won the battle. “Of course.”

 

Makki growled. “Fine.”

 

With that he slammed the door shut. Tooru whistled a happy tune and went back to his own room, hoping Ushiwaka wouldn’t be there already. He ignored the stares he got from some students which just so happened to involuntarily hear every single word of their whole conversation.

 

He would look absolutely gorgeous when meeting his soulmate and nothing in this world could destroy this perfect day.


	5. 00:00:00:00:00:20:28

“Oikawa, may I remind you of your words right before _I_ met my soulmate?” Makki said with a smirk. “ _I’m_ _gonna be totally cool about it, mark my words, Makki-chan!_ Yeah, you’re totally cool about it.” He turned his head towards Mattsun, nudging him softly in the side with his elbow. “Don’t you think so, babe?”

 

Mattsun raised one eyebrow. “Absolutely. I’ve never seen someone more relaxed than you are.” The sarcasm in his voice was almost tangible.

 

The man in question was nervously walking up and down the room, fingers running through his hair and he had to force himself not to nibble his fingernails off. Oikawa Tooru was a total mess.

 

“I’m relaxed!” Tooru cried, stopping once again in front of his large mirror, eyes traveling up and down his whole body, judging his appearance. His hands tugged on the hem of his plain white shirt. He let out a frustrated groan. “I can’t wear that! It’s horrible. It’s so boring!” He started undressing himself, but before he had the chance to move the shirt over his head Makki had yanked it back down.

 

“Doesn’t matter how boring and under dressed you think you look, you don’t have time left, anyway. So stop whining and get on your fucking bike. Remember what your professor said last time when you were late? I don’t think you want to be thrown out of this class, so move your fat ass out of here.”

 

“Mean! My ass is perfect!” Tooru pouted, hands on his hips.

 

“Yeah, absolutely, it’s the best ass I ever saw in my entire life, no offence, Mattsun.” Makki deadpanned. “So, please stop worrying, there’s really no need for.” He leaned against Mattsun’s side, sliding one arm around his waist. “Look at that shitface and I, we’re still alive even when I was so close before a heart attack back then. Which was really unnecessary, though.”

 

Mattsun slid one arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders, pulled him a little closer and interrupted Tooru even before he could have said anything. “And your soulmate will like you, there’s no way they could not. Well, you have a shitty personality -” He had to duck so he wasn’t hit in the face with a shoe. “Hey, it’s true! Anyways, soulmates are supposed to like each other, right? Otherwise it would be a little complicated to spend the entire life together, wouldn’t it?”

 

Tooru took a deep breath and straightened his back. In the blink of an eye his whole appearance changed, his eyes nearly sparkled with excitement and a huge winning smile was on his lips. The Oikawa Tooru everybody knew was back.

 

“Yeah, you’re right! They totally gonna love me, I’m the great Oikawa Tooru after all. Everybody loves me. I’m perfect and flawless and breathtakingly beautiful.” With a gracious gesture he threw his chestnut brown hair out of his face. “I’m leaving now. I’ll write how they are.” Suddenly something dirty flickered over his face, leaving a dirty smile on his lips. “I hope it’s some nice girl. Than I won’t have to worry finding a wife some day.”

 

He looked at his wrist. “Shit, only 10 minutes left.” Tooru grabbed a thin midnight blue jacket, slid it over his shoulders, grabbed his bag and ran out of the room. “See you later!” was the last thing Makki and Mattsun heard before Tooru was gone.

 

Makki sighed and leaned further into Mattsun’s embrace. “He will make an utter fool out of himself, won’t he?”

 

Mattsun snickered and kissed his boyfriend on top of his head. “No doubt he will.”

 

__

 

Tooru sat on top of his bike, bag against his side and was cycling as fast as he could. He had only one minute left and he couldn’t wait until this seemingly endless time would finally be over. Beside that, Makki had been right – he couldn’t risk being thrown out of his class, so he even cycled faster.

 

He knew he had to be cautious of the traffic, but he was too distracted by the clock tickling down on his forearm.

 

Only 25 seconds left.

 

Tooru’s breath hitched and he tried to made himself a bit taller so he could see his soulmate from afar, but he didn’t saw anyone.

 

Only 15 seconds left.

 

_Oh shit!_

 

Suddenly he had the urge to vomit. His stomach turned upside down and he had a hard time suppressing the feeling.

 

_I’m not full of vomit when I’m meeting my soulmate. No way in hell._

 

Another look on his watch told him he had only 7 seconds left.

 

_Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck!_

 

5 seconds.

 

Tooru quickened his pace, his legs started to hurt due to the exertion.

 

4 seconds.

 

He was pretty sure his heart had to explode any moment.

 

3 seconds.

 

Shit, right before him was a traffic light, flashing a bright red towards him.

 

2 seconds.

 

And he was to fast to stop in time.

 

1 second.

 

_Fuck. Fuck. FUCK!_

 

BOOM!

 

Suddenly he crashed into something or someone, he couldn’t really tell what exactly, because he was to busy falling off of his bike right above the handlebars. He hit the ground with his back and a loud thud.

 

“Oi, bastard! Watch the fuck out where you’re going!” Okay, he had hit a breathing individual, that was inconvenient.

 

Rubbing his head and readjusting his glasses, which fortunately hadn’t slipped and crashed onto the ground (even if he didn’t liked them, he needed them, unfortunately), he turned around and was met with a killer glance out of olive green eyes. Beside him on the ground sat a young man, probably his own age, with spiky black hair and a clearly pissed expression.

 

As much as Tooru tried to hold himself back, he couldn’t resist. “Well, I was driving, so I wasn’t really _going_...”

 

The other guy’s expression darkened further. There was a vain on his temple which looked like it was right before exploding. “Fuck! Then _driving_ , shitface! What are you, a fucking teacher?” Grumpy-guy tried to stand up, but his face twisted in pain when he put too much pressure on his ankle. When Tooru looked down on the other guy’s leg he saw blood seeping through the remaining fabric of his now torned jeans. The scratch didn’t look that bad but it was clearly a lot of blood there and Tooru felt kind of bad that he was the cause for the man’s injuries.

 

On the other hand, Tooru himself was luckier. He had a few scratches but nothing too serious despite his stunt fall of his bike. Quickly, he stood up and positioned himself behind the stranger. He put his arm around his shoulders and slid his own arm around the man’s torso so he could lift him up. He was heavier than expected. Together they tumbled towards the nearest bench, that luckily lined every street in this part of Tokyo.

 

“Man, you're heavy.” Tooru said, nearly out of breath, when he let go of the other man, who was now more or less comfortably seated on the bench.

 

The other send him a murderous glance and was close before saying something, but then he closed his mouth again and instead inspected his injured ankle and the scratch on his knee. Tooru reached for his back to pull out a tissue and handed it over. With a little nod the other guy took it and cleaned the injury more or less successfully. Shortly after he looked up at Tooru with an inscrutable expression.

 

“Great, I think you just broke my entire leg.”

 

Tooru’s eyes went wide and he crunched down in front of the man, looking seriously concerned and sorrowful. “What?! Oh shit, I’m so sorry! I’m so, so, so incredibly sorry! How can I make it even up to you, oh god. I’m soooo sorry!” He blabbered a few more seconds about how _really_ sorry he was, when the man interrupted him. To Tooru’s immense surprise he even chuckled a bit.

 

“Just kidding, idiot. It’s only bruised, I can walk again in a few, I think. And the scratch will be ok too, there will be a scar maybe but whatever.” His voice was softer than before and so was his gaze, but he still was pissed. “Why the fuck were you cycling like a maniac, though?”

 

 

This brought Tooru back into reality. “Oh, I was late for university – oh shit, my prof’s gonna kill me! - and moreover I had only a few seconds left until meeti-” He stopped himself, eyes as big as saucers. The other guy looked confused.

 

“Few seconds until what?”

 

Tooru didn’t answered. Instead he looked at his forearm, ready to find the ever present blue numbers. But there were none. His forearm was as plain as his other arm. As if there had never been numbers, counting down until the meeting with his soulmate.

 

And suddenly he felt something strange inside him. As if something deep down inside him was slipping into the right place, fitting in as a piece of a puzzle. For the first time he felt complete.

He had never even realized that he felt incomplete. There wasn’t a single moment when he thought, that something inside him wasn’t even there. Well, when he was with Makki and Mattsun he sometimes had this feeling that he was missing his yet unknown soulmate, but he never felt _unfinished_.

 

But right now everything inside him was buzzing, like there were thousands of bees inside him or something like that. With every fiber of his body he felt the tingling sensation filling him that he finally stood in front of his soulmate.

 

Who was watching at his own wrist this very moment. His eyes were a bit wide, his mouth stood slightly open. He murmured something, but it was too quiet to understand.

 

Tooru couldn’t get enough of this great feeling. He felt like he was finally _living_.

 

He stood up to sat beside his soulmate once again– it was a bit weird to think of the other guy as his respective other, to be honest. Without hesitation he hold out his hand.

 

“Hey, I’m Oikawa Tooru! Nice to finally meet you!” He smiled his brightest smile. Not one of the fake smiles he gave his friends, when they were certain that something was wrong with him. Not one of the charming and flirtatious smiles he send every girl he talked to. Not one of the polite ones he gave his professors, when they looked in his direction and he tried not to look as bored as he was.

 

No, this smile was a real one, without any ulterior motives. It was sincere and kind. It was a smile he showed quiet rarely, but in this moment he felt it was the right thing to do.

 

The man was a bit baffled, but took his hand in his. His grip was strong but firm, his touch warm and kind of secure. Tooru had the immediate feeling of being welcomed home after a long time.

 

“Iwaizumi Hajime.” He didn’t say anything more. Tooru figured the other wasn’t the type who talked very much, except for throwing insults everywhere around him. Well, that means he had to take the talking part – he didn’t mind it at all. He loved talking, after all. And he was certain he could get Iwaizumi talking quiet soon.

 

“Oh, by the way – I’m not a teacher.” Tooru laughed, a sincere laugh like his smile. Something he now realized he hadn’t done in a very long time. “I’m studying psychology at the local university. And you’re studying medicine?”

 

Iwaizumi seemed surprised. “How do you know that?” He asked with big eyes.

 

Tooru chuckled. “Iwa-chan, I’m one of the most intelligent people you’ll ever meet. And I’m reading minds.” Iwaizumi opened his mouth to say something, but Tooru was faster. “No, I figured you’re studying it when you inspected your ankle. You seemed quiet professional doing it.” He winked.

 

Iwaizumi furrowed his brows. “What do you just called me?”

 

“He?”

 

“That nickname. Don’t do it.”

 

“Oh, you mean Iwa-chan? But it’s cute.” Tooru laughed quietly.

 

Iwaizumi’s brows furrowed further, but something in his eyes was strange. Tooru couldn’t tell what it was, before it has already vanished again.

 

“Do I look like I’m cute?”

 

Well, thinking about it Tooru decided that Iwaizumi was not really the cute type. Instead he was the kind of guy who made the ladies swoon because of his muscles. His arms were almost twice as big as Toorus, his muscles were perfectly visible even without flexing. Talking about – his gray shirt seemed to rip any moment, his chest was way to broad for the fabric. His stomach under his shirt seemed to be nothing but pure muscles and his thighs looked like they could crush someone’s skull. Again Tooru had the tugging feeling that something inside him changed, but it doesn’t matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn’t possibly made out what it was.

 

Admiring – no, what the fuck?! - _Looking_ at Iwaizumi’s muscular stature Tooru was certain that his soulmate must have a lot of girls swooning over his athletic build and his looks weren’t really bad either.

 

Suddenly a bit jealousy raised in Tooru. What if the girls weren’t all over him anymore and instead were all head over heels in love with Iwaizumi?

 

“Absolutely! I’m pretty sure the girls are all head over heels the moment they see you, Iwa-chan.”

 

Iwaizumi gulped. “Stop with that stupid nickname. I hate nicknames! And I don’t think so, I’m not very popular with the girls, to be honest.”

 

Tooru looked at him sorrowfully. “How sad. I bet it’s because of that grumpy expression of yours. But don’t worry, Iwa-chan, you’ve got me now. I’m gonna help you!” His insides clenched at this announcement, but again Tooru couldn’t tell why. He had to know the reason soon, instead he’ll go crazy.

 

“Stop saying that, Shittykawa!” Iwaizumi hissed.

 

“Ha!” Tooru cried, causing Iwaizumi to flinch. “You used a nickname by yourself! Although I don’t really like that name, it’s rude, Iwa-chan.” He pouted, but it was visibly feigned.

 

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. How in heaven did he deserve a person like that? And moreover as his _soulmate_?

 

Suddenly Tooru sat up straight, beaming at Iwaizumi and tugging at the sleeve of his thin jacket. “I’ve got an idea. I’m already late for class anyway so why don’t just skip it at all? We totally should go into that cute little cafe I found a few weeks ago. Talking a bit and something like that. Coffee’s on me.”

 

The look he send Iwaizumi couldn’t be refused, even if he had wanted to. But something in him screamed to spend time with this idiot and he had the suspicious feeling that it wasn’t the soulmate part of his body that made him think something like that.

 

He looked at his ankle and put pressure on it, to test if he could walk again. As soon as he tried to stand up Tooru was at his side and once again supported him.

 

“I’ll give you support, if you’re not able to walk again. The cafe isn’t far away from here, fortunately.” His hands touched his arms and his shoulders and Iwaizumi couldn’t miss the sparks that were running though his body the moment Tooru touched him. It was strange.

 

“Yeah, thank you.” He managed a small smile and Tooru’s smile grew even wider.

 

“No problem, Iwa-chan. I’ll do anything for my soulmate, just that you know it~” He said in a sing-song voice.

 

“I already hate you, Shittykawa, _just that you know it._ ” Iwaizumi groaned, trying to ignore the way he felt in Tooru’s presence. It really was strange.

 

“Mean, Iwa-chan!”

 

__

 

“… and this other time in High School in Physics we had to stay the night so that we could watch the stars and the moon and it was just so _cool_. I swear to you, Iwa-chan, there even was an UFO!”

 

Oikawa wailed with his arms as he told Hajime every little thing about his life. His chocolate brown eyes were glistering under his enormous glasses, his hair bouncing a bit and his cheeks were a little pink due to his excitement and his smile – his _smile_ was so wide and genuine and made his whole appearance so utterly _beautiful_ that Hajime felt his heart clench. His grip on his mug of coffee tightened.

 

“Aliens are real and no one can convince me otherwise!”

 

Hajime shrugged his shoulders and a small smile tugged at his lips. “Yeah, sure.” He didn’t had the heart to argue with the bubbling idiot in front of him, when that was obviously his greatest passion. Not yet, though.

 

Oikawa went silent and tipped his head to the side, looking Hajime straight in his eyes. “So, now I’ve talked so much about myself, not that I’m bored or something, but now I want to hear something about you, Iwa-chan? What do you like?” His smile didn’t vanish for a single second, no, it grew even wider.

 

Hajime gulped. He didn’t liked talking about himself, he always felt kind of boring.

 

But after he cleared his throat he began talking. “Okay, so, ehm … I’m quiet good at cooking, I think. It’s kind of fun.”

 

“Oh, will you cook for me, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa barged in. “I’m terrible at it!”

 

“Stop interrupting me, Shittykawa. But yeah, why not. But only when you stop calling me that.” He thought for a moment. “Ah, when I was little I loved bugs. I always had jars with spiders or ants in my room. Someday my dog went a little crazy and my whole room was filled with ants.” He chuckled, remembering his mother’s terrified screams when little Hajime himself sat in the middle of the chaos and watched in amazement how the ants were scuttling around his tiny room.

 

A tiny, barely audible gasp interrupted Hajime in his thoughts and he looked up to see Oikawa staring wide eyed at him, mouth hanging slightly open. A few seconds later he shook his head and suddenly looked kind of terrified.

 

“Eww, I hate bugs so much. They have way too much legs and when your looking away only for a second, they’re _gone_! And you don’t know where they are, they could be everywhere!” He looked seriously disgusted by the mere thought of bugs.

 

“Oh come on, they’re not that bad. They’re only misunderstood creatures. I can show you some really cool spiders if you want.” Hajime couldn’t stop himself from laughing out loud when Oikawa jumped back in his seat and lifted his arms in a defense mode.

 

“You wouldn’t do that, Iwa-chan.” Oikawa breathed.

  
“Oh hell I would.”

 

Oikawa gasped again, eyes wide and still leaning away from the table. “Mean, Iwa-chan! You’re so _mean_!”

 

Hajime smirked. Teasing Oikawa was already his new favorite hobby. Right after -

 

“Oh, there’s still something else - I really love sports.”

 

He saw Oikawa’s eyes flicker down his body and he saw his lips moving a bit, as if he were mumbling something to himself, but he couldn’t here him. Without being able to do anything about it Hajime’s heart began to beat a little bit faster.

 

“Oh cool, sports are really cool! What do you do?” Oikawa asked out loud, his cheeks suddenly slightly pink.

 

“I’m training in one of the local fitness studios and I play volleyball since I was six.” He looked down at his injured ankle and sighed. “Although, I don’t think I’m able to play any time soon now...”

 

“You play volleyball?!” Oikawa nearly screamed. Hajime’s eyes went wide due to the sudden outburst.

 

“Y-Yeah? It’s my favorite sport, I wanted to join th-” He was rudely interrupted by a hyperventilating Oikawa.

 

“How come I never saw you in practice then, he? How did you survive your first year of college here without playing? On top – we could have met a whole year earlier!”

 

Hajime narrowed his eyes. “That’s because that’s my first year here in Tokyo now, I’ve lived in Miyagi before and logically went there to college and joined their volleyball team. But I didn’t liked my old college so I tried to transfer here … and look where I am now.”

 

Oikawas eyes nearly popped out of his head as he jumped up. “YOU’RE FROM MIYAGI?!” He yelled, causing every costumer to turn towards them and giving them irritated glances.

 

Hajime bowed to apologize before he send Oikawa a murderous glance. “Sit down. _Jesus_. What the hell? Not so loud, dumbass. What the fuck was that for?!”

 

Oikawa sat back on his seat, mouth hanging open once again and he looked at Hajime in disbelief. “You were in Miyagi the whole time. Oh my god.”

 

Hajime crooked one eyebrow and watched Oikawa in utter confusion, when the latter banged his head on the table with a loud thud.

 

“ht m lf” Was the only thing Hajime could understand from Oikawas mumbling.

 

“What?”

 

Oikawa looked up. “I hate my life.” He said before his head landed once again on the table.

 

Hajime was overexerted by the whole situation. Just what the fuck was wrong with that idiot?

 

“What the fuck are you talking about, Shittykawa?” Hajime was getting impatient.

 

This time Oikawa lifted his head without slamming it back on the table right after talking. “I’m from Miyagi, too and I spend my whole life waiting for my soulmate – for _you_ , apparently – and I was so desperate and every single time I looked down at my watch it was just too much damn time left and now you’re telling me you were right there the whole fucking time! We could’ve met much sooner!” Oikawa cried. But then he got a bit more serious again.

 

“Wait, what school were you in?”

 

“I was in Tokonami High.” Hajime shrugged his shoulders at Oikawa’s thoughtful expression. “I doubt you ever heard of us, we weren’t that good. In my last year we barely made it to the Interhigh-Preliminaries, but we were crushed by Karasuno in the first round, so...”

 

Oikawa suddenly looked angry. “Ugh, don’t even mention Karasuno. I hate them.” He grumbled, eyes narrowed and brows furrowed.

 

“Why? What happened that they get to experience the wrath of Oikawa Tooru?” Speaking out his full name Hajime had the sudden feeling that he had heard that name somewhere before.

 

“We were so close before winning the Preliminaries in my third year, but I didn’t hit that ball right that thislittle shrimp had spiked with the help of that brat Tobio and…” He stopped himself, biting hard on his lip. “And then there was this bastard Ushiwaka and he didn’t stopped talking shit and I hate all of them.”

 

Hajime tried to remember the game Oikawa spoke off. “That was Karasuno against … ehm … ah, Aoba Johsai, right? I remember watching that game on TV.” Then realization hit him. “I’ve seen you before! Not in person, obviously, but in _Monthly Volleyball_.” Oikawa’s eyes lit up at the mention of his features in the magazine. Iwaizumi whistled. “I’ve never ever thought that that self-centered brat could someday be my soulmate.”

 

“Mean, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa pouted.

 

Hajime grinned, leaning forward without noticing. “I’ve heard you’re pretty good, he?”

 

Oikawa leaned a bit over the table, too, looking straight into Hajime’s green eyes, a somewhat alluring smile on his lips. “Well, I think you have to figure that out on your own, Iwa-chan~” His voice was lower than before, almost challenging. His eyes bored into Hajime’s and the latter felt heat rising inside him. Why were they suddenly so close?

 

_What the fuck is wrong with me?!_

 

Hajime quickly leaned back, flustered and tried to figure out what was wrong with him. He never had been this nervous in his entire life, why now? Why around this guy? He hadn’t the chance to think further about his little problems, Oikawa was already speaking again.

 

He had leaned back in his chair, arms crossed and a sad expression on his face.

 

“Shit, I wished we had met each other earlier. I hated waiting for so fucking long. My entire life I waited for that moment and I always wished I would have been one of these lucky guys who met their soulmate already in kindergarten or something.” He locked eyes with Hajime. “What about you? Please tell me you was as nervous as I was.” He chuckled nervously.

 

Hajime choked on his coffee, which was quiet cold by now. He put it back on the table and with one hand he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.

 

“Eh, I’ve never really minded the clock, to be honest.” He looked back at Oikawa and already regretted his words. Oikawa bit his lips, his eyes weren’t exactly watery, but they had a hurtful expression in it that Hajime somehow couldn’t bear at all.

 

“No.” He added quickly, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. “Don’t get me wrong! I’ve always looked forward to meet my soulmate, really, but I always thought that I don’t have to drive myself insane because of it. It happens anyway. So what’s the point in making yourself crazy about something that’s defined by fate? A moment that you can’t change, no matter how hard you try?”

 

The hurt in Oikawa’s deep chocolate brown eyes seemed to vanish and Hajime sighed in relief. “So I ignored the numbers on my arm and lived my life without thinking much about them. Clearly, I had my moments, too, but I always tried not to dwell in daydreams about how the meeting will possibly be, you know?” He cleared his throat, a bit embarrassed by his own words. “I’ve always wanted this moment to be something special, so I wanted to live in the moment when it will happen and not in some fantasies and be later disappointed because it wasn’t as I expected it to be and now I’m seriously talking too much, I’m so sorry.”

 

He met Oikawa’s gaze once again and the fondness in his eyes nearly made his heart skip.

 

_Seriously, Hajime, get your fucking shit together!_

 

Oikawa’s hand on the table twitched, as if he wanted to grab something, but maybe Hajime had just imagined it. He cleared his throat once more.

 

“Sorry if that was awkward. I usually don’t talk about something like that.”

 

Oikawa smiled. “Aww, Iwa-chan, who would have thought that you’re a hidden romantic, hmm?”

 

Hajime felt his cheeks turning pink and he tried his best hiding it, but he failed spectacularly. “Shut up.”

 

“No worries, Iwa-chan, I will fix that little problem of yours, I promise. In a year you’re perfect in speaking Emotions.” Oikawa chuckled.

 

That made Hajime laugh and forgetting his embarrassment. “Oh, I doubt that. My mother tried the whole time rising me, but she always failed, obviously.”

 

“But now you have me, the great Oikawa Tooru!” Oikawa winked and flashed Hajime a peace sign.

 

“I couldn’t be happier.” Hajime said sarcastically, but his eyes sparkled treacherously.

 

“Rude!”

 

After two more coffees, some cupcakes and two hours of talking later, Oikawa looked at his phone for the first time they bumped into each other. Hajime couldn’t help it to find it utterly endearing – he had thought about Oikawa being the kind of guy to look at his phone every five seconds, but he was proven wrong.

 

Oikawa sighed in defeat. “I’m so sorry, Iwa-chan, but I have to go. I have class in 15 minutes and I definitely can’t risk ditching that, too.” He send Hajime an apologetic smile. “Are you free tomorrow afternoon? I want to show you the best parts of Tokyo.”

 

Hajime smiled back, a little but genuine smile. “I’d love to, thank you!”

 

Oikawa’s smile widened, his expression now excited again. “Cool, I’m at your room around 5, okay?

 

“Sure.”

 

Oikawa stood up and shouldered his bag. “See you tomorrow then, Iwa-chan~” He waved him as he made his way to the front door.

 

“Don’t run someone else down, Shittykawa!” Hajime yelled back and received a laughed “Mean, Iwa-chan!”

 

When both of them were alone for themselves again, they had time to think.

 

Tooru noticed with a jolt that he totally forgot about his own birthday due to the excitement of meeting his soulmate. But he decided that it was worth forgetting, when he had in turn met Iwaizumi. He was sure that they were going to have a great life together and he couldn’t be happier.

 

Hajime on the other hand felt the exact same thing, but he had also something else in his mind – why the hell did he just acted like a love struck teenager in middle school the first time he talked to his crush?

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally ...


	6. Two years later

Tooru didn’t know when he had started to feel this way he felt right now.

 

_Liar. You know exactly when it started._

 

Yeah. He made a fool out of himself. He knew exactly that it started the moment he met Iwaizumi for the first time two years ago. He didn’t knew it back then, but he knew it now. And it was driving him _insane_.

 

Every look, every touch, every exchanged word was driving him insane. He couldn’t sleep properly and sometimes he couldn’t even breathe – and all of that just by _looking_ at his best friend. His soulmate. The man he was in love with since the moment he met him, even though he didn’t realized it for quite a long time.

 

He knew that when he and Iwaizumi had sat in that cafe on the day they met each other and Iwaizumi had chuckled about a little joke or something Tooru couldn’t stop his heart from racing way too fast.

 

He noticed that Iwaizumi was attractive when he first laid eyes on him – he wasn’t blind, he knew potential when it stood right before him. Unlike Tooru, who was the personified ideal of beauty – slender but athletic, tall and handsome, charming, gorgeous, polite and every mother’s dream of a son-in-law – Iwaizumi was the exact opposite. His broad shoulders and athletic build were making up for his slightly smaller height, his facial features were strong and manly and everything on him screamed dominance and strength. His almost constant grim facial expression was only confirming that.

 

And just because Iwaizumi was a man just like Tooru that didn’t mean that Tooru couldn’t find him attractive in a way without romantic feelings.

 

But then Iwaizumi smiled and it was the most beautiful thing Tooru had seen in his entire life. Iwaizumi’s whole face lit up, his eyes sparkling and there were little laugh lines around his eyes. He even had dimples and if that wasn’t the cutest thing in the world Tooru would be lost completely.

 

He was pretty sure he was blushing furiously the whole time they talked to each other, but Iwaizumi either didn’t notice it or he didn’t mind it. Tooru hoped for the former.

 

In the months that followed they did everything together. They met every day before, during or after classes – sometimes even all three times. There was almost no single day they didn’t see each other and when, Tooru felt like he was breaking apart just by some missed hours with his soulmate.

 

Soon after their first encounter Iwaizumi was able to fully strain his ankle again and with that he finally joined the volleyball team. It didn’t take very long until everyone noticed that Tooru and Iwaizumi were clearly meant for each other – they played like their played together for their entire lives. The way Iwaizumi could slam that ball over the net nearly made Tooru swoon.

 

At that was the exact point in his life were he finally noticed that something in him was wrong.

 

At first he always thought that his - sometimes a little inappropriate - thoughts about his best friend were only because of the happiness that he finally met him. But when he saw him play with that strength and accuracy and that it was at least partly caused by Tooru’s tosses made his heart stutter.

 

Suddenly he was very aware of every single one of Iwaizumi’s movements on the court. The first time was when Tooru caught himself staring at Iwaizumi when he leaned forward, supporting himself on his knees after a particularly exhausting attack, sweeping away the sweat on his forehead with one hand, mouth hanging open in an attempt to get as much air as possible. Tooru couldn’t help staring at that little drop of sweat running down Iwaizumi’s neck and disappearing under the hem of his shirt.

 

Another time Tooru almost missed to toss the ball when mere seconds before Iwaizumi had jumped aside, trying to hit the ball before it hit the ground. Tooru’s eyes were immediately fixed to that little glance of tanned skin over firm abs. To his enormous disappointment Iwaizumi fixed his shirt as soon as he stood again. Right after that Tooru had been shouted at by some other teammate, telling him to fucking concentrate on the game. Luckily no one had caught him staring at Iwaizumi’s six-pack and so he was spared the humiliation of explaining himself.

 

Since then Tooru had a really hard time not to stare too much at Iwaizumi’s (half) naked figure every time they were in the locker rooms.

 

All that happened a year ago and Tooru was torn at that time.

 

A part of him was seriously disgusted by himself. How dare he developing feelings for his best friend? On top – why a boy all of a sudden?! Tooru never had any feelings towards the same gender, not the slightest. He wasn’t some homophobic bastard like one of the assholes Makki and Mattsun had to deal with. He was happy for his two friends and he had absolutely no problem with them kissing or slightly touching or something like that. But he had never experienced feeling something for another guy and he didn’t know how to handle that at all.

 

He knew how to deal with girls, though. He knew how they react around him, all screaming and squirming and blushing. He knew how to please them, how to make them feel good and how to hold them during a kiss. He was a genius in dating girls and no one could say otherwise.

 

But dating a boy would be a totally different level. He had absolutely no idea how to do it and when he was being honest with himself he actually didn’t want to know it.

 

The only boy he would like to date was Iwaizumi. And that was his other part speaking.

 

He wanted to spent every single minute of his life with his soulmate. He would do it anyway, but not in that way he wanted it to be spent. He wanted to hug him every time he felt like hugging. He wanted to touch him, his hands, his arms, his hair, wanted to feel his incredibly soft skin stretch over those thick muscles. Tooru wanted to feel Iwaizumi’s muscles tense everywhere against his own body. He wanted to touch his stomach, gliding over his defined abs over at his broad chest and up his neck, hands holding still in Iwaizumi’s black spiky hair. He wanted to feel his lips softly pressing against his own, wanted to know if they felt as good as they were looking. He wanted to feel every single inch of Iwaizumi’s perfect body so much that it hurt.

 

And that’s why Tooru decided that it was time to change something about his currently more than fragile emotional state. But instead of confessing his feelings to Iwaizumi and hopefully living in bliss and happiness for the rest of his life, he made things worse.

 

As soon as he made his decision he started dating girls as if there were no tomorrow. He hopped from one short-time relationship to the next and to the next, to the next, to the next. At first he was relieved to finally get the thoughts of Iwaizumi out of his head, burying them in the bliss of being in heated situations with girls he didn’t even knew the names of. But he realized pretty soon that it wasn’t the miracle solution he was looking for.

 

During kisses with girls he usually found really cute and pretty, he found himself thinking about an entirely different person. With an awful shock he noticed that thinking of Iwaizumi during his little quickies was the only way he could even get through this anymore.

 

But instead of stopping with that nonsense, he increased the amount of girls he was with. He didn’t even realize that he was only hurting himself by dwelling in those fantasies of his best friend. Still less Tooru noticed the person he hurt most with his unnecessary whoring around – Iwaizumi.

 

 _He_ didn’t noticed the way his soulmate was suffering.

 _He_ didn’t noticed the way Iwaizumi was looking at him like some love struck idiot.

 _He_ didn’t noticed Iwaizumi’s hurtful expression when he once again caught his soulmate furiously making out with some stupid run-of-the-mill girl in the locker rooms or in front of class rooms or anywhere else.

 

The only thing Tooru noticed was his own pain when he looked into Iwaizumi’s eyes when he caught them. The pain and longing of finally lying in _Iwaizumi’s_ arms instead of some stupid girl.

 

The thing Tooru noticed was that he and Iwaizumi drove further and further apart. They didn’t talked as much as before, didn’t saw each other quite as often and in general they nearly avoided each other.

 

Soulmates where supposed to be there for each other, no matter the situation. They were supposed to support the other and helping each other out when the other wasn’t able to help himself on his own. They were supposed to be the most important person in your life, not the one you want to forget about because your crazy in love with them and they didn’t love you back.

 

Tooru and Iwaizumi’s relationship was a mess. A chaotic, difficult and utterly unnecessary mess.

 

At some point Tooru was sick of sleeping with all those nameless girls just to forget his own misery. He decided to meet a girl at least for one week. He wanted to get to now them, wanted to have someone he could talk to.

 

Yeah, maybe he just needed someone to talk to who wasn’t directly involved in his sorrow.

 

With that epiphany he finally could breathe freely again, something he didn’t even know he couldn’t do anymore. His chest wasn’t as tight as before and he felt like the first day in spring when sunshine finally hit the earth for the first time in months.

 

He was on his way to Iwaizumi’s room, determined to fix their impaired friendship and he was in exactly that mood, almost happy and relieved when he found himself looking at a pretty girl, small with long brown hair and big eyes. She stood in front of Iwaizumi, who sat on his bed, his strong arms slung around her tiny waist. Her hands were on his cheeks and she looked utterly happy, her smile warm and sweet.

 

The sound of the door opening caused both of them to look in Tooru’s direction. He saw Iwaizumi’s eyes widen in something that could be shock, before he cleared his throat and stood up. The girl dropped her hands and immediately grabbed at Iwaizumi’s hand, holding it firm in hers.

 

“Hey, you’re Oikawa Tooru, right?” The girl smiled brightly, holding her free hand out. “I heard so much about you.” She told him with an affectionate side wards glance towards Iwaizumi, whose cheeks were beet red and who was avoiding Toorus gaze.

 

Then she spoke the words that Tooru dreaded the most and that made his world shatter in an instant.

 

“I’m Nikaido Sayuri, but you can simply call me Sayuri. I’m Hajime’s girlfriend. Nice to meet you!”

 

__

 

The encounter with Iwai- no, _Hajime’s_ girlfriend was two weeks ago now. Tooru hated her from the bottom of his heart.

_How dare she calling him by his given name?!_

 

The only person who ever should have the right to call Iwaizumi by his given name besides his parents was Tooru and _only_ Tooru. No. One. Else!

 

The last two weeks Tooru had been in a constant state of either being angry or utterly devastated.

 

Angry on Iwaizumi’s stupid girlfriend.

Angry on Iwaizumi for getting himself a girlfriend.

Angry on himself for letting Iwaizumi get himself a girlfriend just because he hadn’t had the courage to confess to him.

 

_You would’ve been rejected, anyway. Look at him, he’s totally straight. You’ve never even had a single chance._

 

And _hello_ sorrow.

 

Once again the overwhelming feeling of loss swept through Tooru, clutching at his heart and leaving him gasping for air. He felt like being on the verge of tears, but he did everything to prevent those tears from falling.

 

The last two weeks had been full of tears.

 

The moment Sayuri introduced herself Tooru felt his heart shattering into millions of tiny little stinging peaces. All he wanted to do back then was either screaming and crying or ripping that stupid bitch apart.

 

But he felt limp. He couldn’t do anything but standing there, looking like a deer in the headlights, close before being ran down.

 

“Congratulations, Iwa-chan.” He remembered saying, his voice hoarse and everything in him had been turned upside down, but he had tried his best to smile, trying at least to _look_ as if he was happy for his best friend.

 

For the first time in his life he wasn’t even sure in the slightest if he was successful.

 

“And for you, too, Sayuri-san.” He bowed down, looking polite, but it was only to hide the tears that threatened to spill over. “I hope you’re happy together.”

 

Sayuri’s giggle nearly made Tooru snap. “Of course we are, Hajime is just too sweet.”

 

_Hajime._

_Hajime._

_Hajime._

 

The name resounded in Tooru’s head, loud and crushing. He couldn’t stop thinking about it and he felt himself falling more and more into a state of total devastation.

 

Despite his immense sadness, he still had a bit dignity in his body and hearing Iwaizumi’s name out of that girl’s mouth, Tooru had been seriously close before committing murder. However, all of his anger vanished and was replaced with total and utter grief when Iwaizumi spoke.

 

“Thank you, Oikawa.” His voice was quiet, almost impossible to hear and when Tooru looked up, he noticed that Iwaizumi was constantly looking at the floor.

 

Tooru didn’t remember the last time Iwaizumi used his real name instead of some insult which long ago had been real insults but were now almost caring nicknames. Hearing his real name out of Iwaizumi’s mouth was almost unbearable.

 

Tooru gulped and pressed his hands against his legs to stop them from trembling.

 

“Right, eh … I’ll go now. Leaving you two alone. Yeah.” He sat up his most charming smile. It was incredibly harder than all the times he had to feign them. And that were a lot of times, impossible to count.

 

“Bye, bye!” Tooru waved before he nearly rushed out of the room, tears now impossible to stop. He had run to his room, vision blurry and his whole body was shaking.

 

By the time he had reached his dorm room he had slammed the door open, barged in and slammed it back close. He had pressed his hands against his stinging and wet eyes, sobbing soundly and sliding down against the door.

 

He _had_ wanted to stop crying.

He _had_ wanted to stop feeling so damn vulnerable and breakable.

He _had_ wanted to forget all about that. Had wanted to forget about Iwaizumi, about his feelings that were doomed the minute he began feeling them and about everything that was related to Iwaizumi, even in the slightest.

 

Tooru had wanted to get his old self back.

 

Somewhere along his breakdown he had managed to crawl into his bed and falling asleep, dreaming fitfully about grinning girls and lost friends.

 

And now he was standing in front of his parent’s house and he had long lost the battle against his tears. He was crying and sobbing hopelessly and waited impatiently for someone to finally open the door.

 

He pressed the door bell once again, hoping that somebody was at home at all.

 

Right when he wanted to ring a third time the door was opened and his mother stood in front of him.

 

“Jesus Christ, what do y-” Hana stopped, staring at her wailing son in horror.

 

“Tooru! Oh god, what’s wrong?” She cried but before she could step to her son Tooru had himself thrown forward and hugged his mother in a crushing embrace.

 

He cried so much he couldn’t even say anything.

 

For a long time both just stood there, Hana rubbing her son’s back reassuringly and Tooru was crying out his soul, hiccuping due to the immense sobbing.

 

By the time Tooru’s crying slowed down and it was only a small hiccup here and a quiet sob there, Hana lead him into the living room and made him a cup of hot chocolate. During his childhood it had been Tooru’s favorite drink when he was sad or had injured himself. It had always made him feel better. Hana hoped it would work this time, too.

 

She returned to the living room, where Tooru sat on the couch, staring at his hands with a blank stare out of puffy red eyes.

 

Hana placed the mug in front of her son on the small table and sat beside him. She took his hands into hers and began to talk.

 

“Honey, what happened?” Her voice was soft and comforting, just like her eyes.

 

Tooru stiffened visibly and turned his head a little to look into his mother’s eyes, hoping to find comfort in them. He was not disappointed.

 

His voice was broken and quiet. “You said that I could always come to you when I have problems I cannot solve on my own.”

 

“That’s right. Your father and I are always here to help you, no matter what’s the problem.” She placed a warm hand on Tooru’s cheek, brushing off his last tears and making him feel a bit calmer.

 

He took a deep breath. Actually, when he was being honest with himself he didn’t want to talk about it, but he had to or else he would be going insane.

 

“What happens when you’re deeply and in incredibly in love with your soulmate but he doesn’t love you back?”

 

There was a silent pause.

 

Tooru quickly backed away, cheeks reddening and looking back at his hands.

 

“I’m sorry, mom. I didn’t want to disgust you.” His voice was even more broken than before and he stubbornly avoided his mother’s gaze.

 

_Now she thinks I’m disgusting and sick. She’ll hate me!_

 

Hana shifted closer, softly gripping his chin and turning his head towards her so he could look into her son’s swollen eyes.

 

“Tooru, listen to me – you could _never_ disgust me.” Her voice was calm but determined.

 

Tooru gulped. “But I’m in love with another man.”

 

Hana smiled gently. “That doesn’t make you to a lesser worth human. What matters is the person itself with whom you’re in love with, not the gender. Usually no one has ever the choice with whom they’re falling in love with, it happens and no one can change that.” Once again she rested her palm against Tooru’s cheek, caressing it tenderly and then running her hand through his soft hair. “Especially if it’s your soulmate you’re loving you don’t even have a chance at all.”

 

“So you don’t hate me?” Hope glistered in Tooru’s big eyes.

 

Hana chuckled and shook her head. “Of course not! How could I ever hate my own son?”

 

Tooru sighed in relief, his whole composure visibly relaxing a bit. He looked at his mother only to find her curiously looking at him.

 

“I’m curious now – how did it happen? You falling in love with Iwaizumi, I mean.”

 

Tooru stiffened again, unwanted memories began creeping into his head and they started making him feel all lost again. His voice was shaky when he finally spoke.

 

“I-I don’t really know, but I think it … it started the day we first met.” He paused, but then everything about that first encounter swept back into his memory and he was unable to stop speaking, even if he had wanted to.

 

“At first he was so _grumpy_ and he was constantly frowning but then we talked more in that one cafe – I think I already told you about that day – and I was telling something I guess and then he _smiled_ and it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. His eyes sparkled and his whole face seemed to glow and I didn’t realized back then how _pretty_ he is in his very own way and only _thinking_ about him smiling and being happy makes _me_ happy.”

 

Tooru saw his mother’s smiling face, but she didn’t try to interrupt him so he spoke further.

 

“I more and more realized that I wanted more, that I wanted to be closer to him than just friends. But I tried to ignore that feeling and started seeing random girls and…” He trailed down, his mother didn’t have to know what he did exactly with those girls.

 

He cleared his throat. “Yeah … ehm, it didn’t help actually, I just can’t get him out of my head but I’m just too damn cowardly to just tell him the truth, you know? And now...”

 

He felt his eyes stinging again, but he used all his remaining strength to prevent himself from crying once again. He was so sick of it!

 

“And now he has a girlfriend and it _hurts so much_ and part of me want’s to be happy for him, to forget my own selfish feelings and to move on but the other part want’s to rip that stupid bitch apart and I don’t know what I should do. I don’t know _any_ _thing_ anymore.” He buried his head in his hands, eyes dry but a solid headache began pulsing behind his temples.

 

Hana’s hand reached out to rub Tooru’s back. “Honey, the first love his hard. It can be such a beautiful and overwhelming feeling that you want to laugh and cry at the immense feeling. But it can be cruel, too.” She stopped, knowing that what she wanted to say next to him wasn’t something that would make him feel better. Instead it just might make things worse.

 

“When I was in high school one of my close friends was in love with her soulmate, too. She tried her best not to feel this way, but she failed. Spectacularly. They were both really close and everybody thought that they will be together someday but then when high school ended and we were all going to college he met a girl in one of his classes and they were in love almost in an instant. They moved in together and eventually got married and got children. It broke my friend’s heart to see them together.”

 

Tooru watched her with big eyes, afraid of what would come next.

 

“Listen, Tooru, I’m not saying that that will happen to you, too. I sure hope it won’t happen to you because I couldn’t bear it to see another one of my loved ones suffer. But after these two married my best friend still wasn’t able to stop loving her soulmate. And I think that’s the only curse of the whole soulmate thing – if you’re falling in love with them there isn’t a single chance to _stop_ loving them.” She gulped, seeing Tooru’s eyes glistering with fear. “Remember when I told you that when soulmates are falling in love with each other they will never break up and are in love for the rest of their lives? It’s the same way when only one of them starts loving the other.”

 

“So I will love him until I die and have to watch him start a family and be happy with them?” Tears started to run down his cheeks again but he didn’t even notice. He was too busy collecting the peaces of his broken heart. Again.

 

Hana sighed, her chest heavy and she felt close before crying, too. She never wanted to witness those miseries ever again and now it was happening to her own son.

 

“I’m so sorry, Tooru. It could happen this way but it doesn’t have to. Iwaizumi could still someday love you back.”

 

Tooru chuckled, it was bitter and full with grief. “I highly doubt that. There was never even a single sign that could mean that he was feeling something for me, too.”

 

“Tooru, you’re a fighter! You never let something press you down for long, so fight for him. Make him realize what he’s missing.”

 

This time Tooru chuckled out of amusement. “I’ve never thought that you would it take it so easy that I like boys, too.” He remembered that, apparently, he will never love someone else again than Iwaizumi. “Well, how it seems now boys only… and then again _one_ boy only...”

 

Hana gasped in mock surprise. “What mother do you think I am?” Then she shrugged and smirked, winking. “Besides – I’ve got my grand children, so I’m happy either way. And Mayumi doesn’t seem like she wants to have only two babies. I think there are more to come.”

 

“Anyways, I wish you all the best with Iwaizumi. I sure hope that guy realizes that you’re a catch.” She eyed him with a thoughtful expression.

 

“Thanks, mom” Tooru laughed quietly. “I hope that, too.” He looked at his watch and sighed.

 

“I think I have to go now. I have to catch the last train so I don’t miss morning class. Again.”

 

Hana stood up and wrapping her arms around Tooru’s waist in a tight embrace, her face pressed against Tooru’s chest.

 

“All right, have a good right home. And fight for him, you hear that? Fight, Tooru!”

 

He smiled sadly. “Yeah, mom, I will.”

 

__

 

He didn’t fight.

 

His mother was right, he _was_ a fighter. There weren’t a single time when Tooru didn’t push himself to the brim to improve his jump serve or his tosses. He always fought until the last moment, ever wanted to finish something with utterly perfection. He stayed up late at night to write his assignments, to study for upcoming tests and to study his opponents before an upcoming match all night.

 

He fought for everything in his life except for the love of his life. It sounded too cheesy to call Iwaizumi the love of his life, but apparently he _was_ and Tooru could do nothing to change that.

 

Every time he saw him his heart hurt. He couldn’t stop the feelings but he couldn’t make a step further to confess to him either. He was trapped in his own cage and couldn’t get out.

 

So he reduced the time he did something with Iwaizumi to a minimum. He was unable to see him and knowing at the same time that the would never be the one Iwaizumi would look at like the way he looked at Sayuri.

 

It hurt so much to see them together. They seemed to be everywhere, sitting together in the cafeteria, walking to college together, kissing in front of their dorm rooms, kissing in the day room of their dorm, kissing fucking everywhere.

 

Every time Tooru saw them Sayuri was either sucking of Iwaizumi’s face or was clinging to his arm like a fucking limpet. It was disgusting and unnerving and it drew Tooru insane that it wasn’t _he_ that could kiss Iwaizumi everywhere and every time he wanted to.

 

He wanted to fight for him, wanted to make this bitch disappearing into where she’d come from and wanted to make Iwaizumi his boyfriend and _only_ his.

 

But he couldn’t do it. Every time he looked at Iwaizumi’s face when he saw him and Sayuri together his heart clenched at the mere look on it. He seemed happy. His eyes glistered and he was smiling like a dumb idiot. Not that he wasn’t a dumb idiot, but he was _his_ dumb idiot in some strange way and he loved that idiot no matter what and because of that Tooru couldn’t bring it over his heart to separate them.

 

He thought he might be happy if he could only see the pleased look on Iwaizumi for the rest of his life. It was a twisted thought and it was destroying him in every way possible, but Tooru just _couldn’t_ do something that would make Iwaizumi leaving sad and lonely.

 

_When you would make them break up he would hate you anyway, so just don’t do it._

 

And so Tooru listened to the voice in his head and was leaving the two alone. He still watched Iwaizumi from afar, unable to tear his gaze away every time he saw him but always looking away in an instant when Iwaizumi caught him staring.

 

If he had just looked a little longer so that their eyes had locked, he would have seen the way Iwaizumi’s eyes lost their sparkle and his smile faltered, leaving his whole face in an expression full of utter desire and long lost battles against his own feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jesus, here goes the canon-like charactarization ... I'm so sorry


	7. One year later

Today was the day everyone in Tooru’s year was looking forward to since they joined university – it was graduation day and Tooru himself couldn’t be happier about it.

 

The last year was a pure and utter torture for him. There were a hell lot of exams and appointments and more exams and more presentations and even more exams. It was draining.

 

But all of the college stuff wasn’t even the worst of all. It was the ever present sight of his best friend and that unbearable, annoying limpet that happened to be his girlfriend.

 

Tooru remembered his decision he made a year ago to just ignore the stinging feeling in his chest whenever he saw Iwaizumi and Sayuri together. He really wanted those feelings to fade, wanted to be happy for his best friend to have found such a nice girlfriend.

 

At this time he had a constant smile on his lips, he was as charming as ever and nobody noticed that something was off of him. Not even Iwaizumi, who was the only person who could’ve ever looked through his facade, the only one who knew how to distinguish his fake smile from the only one genuine, the honest one, the one only Iwaizumi ever got to see.

 

Maybe Tooru has even more perfected those already excellent skills of hiding his true feelings.

Maybe Iwaizumi was too caught up to be on cloud nine.

Maybe Iwaizumi didn’t even care anymore about his best friend and soulmate now that he had Sayuri.

Maybe Tooru was completely written-off.

 

Nobody noticed Tooru’s suffering, everyone thought he was as cheerful as ever. But in his insides he was screaming constantly, every second could have been the last before a complete breakdown in front of fucking everyone.

 

He couldn’t stop crying in his sleep. He couldn’t stop those feelings. He just couldn’t take it anymore.

 

And then one day he had an immense breakdown in his room after he had seen Sayuri and Iwaizumi standing in front of Iwaizumi’s dorm room, his hands on her cheeks, slowly stroking them, his eyes fixated on hers and a small, genuine smile on his lips. And then she had leaned over to whisper in his ear, her hand slowly sliding down over his side to took one of his hands into hers. With a seductive smile she had dragged him into his room and with the sound of the door clicked shut Tooru’s gut turned faster upside down than ever and he barely made it to his room before he broke down in front of the toilet.

 

He was sobbing for an entire hour, eyes swollen and red, his throat aching and his mouth dry. He slowly stood up, supporting himself against the sink and then his eyes locked with themselves in the mirror.

 

Tooru had never been more disgusted of himself. He had looked at his puffy eyes, his wet cheeks and his pain-twisted mouth. He hated himself for looking and acting so fucking pathetic. He decided on the spot that he had to change something.

 

That’s when his ever present grief turned into even more heavier ever present fury.

 

Whenever he saw Iwaizumi and Sayuri he didn’t felt the urge to cry his eyes out anymore. Instead he felt the overwhelming desire to crush the next thing his hands got a hold on into tiny, tiny little peaces.

 

The first thing he broke was his cellphone.

 

It happened right after one day he had sat in the cafeteria, eating his lunch when suddenly Sayuri had sat next to him.

 

“Oikawa-san!” She greeted him cheerfully and he whipped his head incredibly fast towards her and when he looked into her stupid big blue eyes he had to suppress the pressing feeling of snapping her neck.

 

“Sayuri-chan! How nice to see you.” Tooru smiled at her sweetly, hands under the table turning into fists around his mobile.

 

Sayuri returned the smile and leaned against the table. “Same goes for you. I wanted to ask you if you want to go to the movies tonight with me and Hajime? He’s constantly complaining about not seeing you at all recently and I thought I’ll be a good girlfriend and get you to do something with us.”

 

If he hadn’t hate her so much that his killing desires had awoken he would’ve understand why Iwaizumi was head over heels for her. She was charming and sweet, pretty and she had something on her nobody could hate.

 

Well, except for Tooru obviously.

 

He sent her his most apologetic smile. “I’m so, so sorry, but I have to write an essay due tomorrow and I’m not even halfway through it.”

 

Her smile faltered a bit. “Oh, too bad. How about Friday then?”

 

“I have a date on Friday, sorry.” The moment he said those words he regretted them already.

 

Sayuri’s eyes went wide with excitement and she clapped her hands. “Ohh, I’ve an idea! How about we’re going to a double date? It would be awesome!”

 

Tooru smiled wide, fist clenching further together. “I don’t think Kobayashi-chan likes double dates, she seemed quite demanding in getting some time alone when I asked her out.” He thought he had crushed her hopes by now but he was proven wrong. Incredibly wrong.

 

Sayuri giggled.” Oh, I know her. Nami is quite demanding, that’s right, but she loves double dates! We’ve went to one together before and she absolutely loved it!”

 

Tooru’s mouth dropped slightly open. How could she know her? Sayuri was only in her second year and there wasn’t a single possibility they could know each other.

 

Before Tooru could say anything Sayuri placed a hand on his shoulder. “Great, then that’s settled. We’re going on a double date on Friday! I’m going to tell Nami, bye Oikawa-san!”

 

And she was gone before Tooru could move a single finger.

 

Shit.

 

He jumped up, leaving the tablet with his half-eaten lunch on the table and ran out of the cafeteria.

 

Now he had to tell Kobayashi that they’re going on a date.

 

Half an hour later Kobayashi knew of their sudden date in two days and he was back in his room, leaning against the door, thinking about what he had gotten himself into.

 

Why hadn’t he rejected her more clearly? Just why the fuck did he tell Kobayashi about the date? Why did he do that to himself? He wasn’t a masochist, so why did he accepted to a fucking double date with the person he loves and with the person he hates most?!

 

Without thinking he threw his phone against the wall. It hit it with a thud and a loud crack, falling to the floor completely damaged.

 

Great. Now he was fucked _and_ soon about to be a lot more poorer.

 

The second thing he broke was a mirror.

 

It was Friday and he and Kobayashi met in front of the theater, waiting for Iwaizumi and Sayuri to arrive.

 

Tooru still didn’t know why the fuck he didn’t said he was sick or something. Now he had to watch these two to make out right beside him!

 

It didn’t take long until he saw them walking down the street. They were holding hands and Sayuri talked to Iwaizumi, so he hadn’t have his eyes on the sidewalk before him. Tooru’s heart clenched at the sight, wishing once again that he would be the one holding Iwaizumi’s hand, leaning against his strong figure for warmth on this cold winter day.

 

When they reached Tooru and Kobayashi Iwaizumi looked up for the first time. The moment he saw Tooru standing in front of him his eyes went wide and his mouth dropped.

 

“Surprise!” Sayuri chirped into his ear and kissing his cheek. Tooru nearly frowned in disgust because of the high pitched noise and the kiss.

 

Iwaizumi’s eyes were fixated on Tooru and he let go of Sayuri’s hand.

 

“I asked him two days ago to do something with us so you’ll be happier than lately and he agreed on a double date because he had plans with Nami before.”

 

Tooru had a hard time to remain his composure.

 

_I’ve never agreed to anything, bitch!_

 

He saw Iwaizumi gulping heavily, his eyes now on Sayuri. “Thank you, Say-chan.”

 

_He has a nickname for her! And a cute one, too!_

 

Tooru felt like he might die right now.

 

He moved closer to Kobayashi and slid an arm around her shoulders, tugging her closer. She beamed and nuzzled against his chest, seeking for warmth.

 

Tooru completely missed Iwaizumi’s pained expression, only looking at Sayuri because he couldn’t bare looking at the man he love any longer.

 

“Are we going to watch this movie now or what? It’s getting cold out here.” He asked with a wide smile.

 

“Yeah, right, I already bought the tickets.” Sayuri handed each of them the tickets and then grabbed for Iwaizumi’s hand to tug him into the warmth of the building.

 

They took their seats and to Tooru’s immense doom he sat directly beside Iwaizumi, arms brushing against one another and he felt his heart reaching such a fast pace he had to get a heart attack any minute.

 

_I’m not going to survive this. I’m going to die._

 

To get away from Iwaizumi’s surprisingly warm arm he slid his arm once again around Kobayashi’s shoulder, shifting in his seat so he would never touch Iwaizumi again during the movie.

 

In the middle of the movie he heard shifting beside him and didn’t want to look, but the newly found masochistic part of himself forced him to.

 

He expected to find Iwaizumi and Sayuri kissing, but it didn’t reduce the pain of watching them making out right beside him. Sayuri had his arms around Iwaizumi’s neck and her fingers were deeply in his hair. His hands laid on her hips, still without any movement.

 

Tooru looked back at the screen, but his vision was blurry and his heart throbbed incredibly.

 

He turned towards Kobayashi, telling her he wasn’t feeling well and went to the toilets.

 

He supported himself against the sink and took some deep breaths before the mental images of Iwaizumi and Sayuri kissing returned to his head, leaving him sobbing and blind with rage.

 

Before he could even think straight his fist landed in the mirror. A loud crackle filled the room, shards falling into the sink and making a tinkling noise.

 

His hand was throbbing and hurting. Blood was steadily dripping into the sink and Tooru washed it away, carefully cleaning his hand and then he left the restroom and headed towards the theater doors.

 

On his way home he wrote Kobayashi that he had gone home to rest and apologized for the early leaving.

 

After that he didn’t spoke to anyone. Not to Kobayashi who constantly wanted to know if he was feeling better and asking if he wanted to go on another date. Not to Sayuri who pretty asked much the same except for the dating part. Not to Iwaizumi who didn’t even talk to him at all.

 

At this point Tooru was almost hundred percent sure his and Iwaizumi’s friendship was entirely over.

 

They didn’t talked to each other, they only saw each other in the hallways of the university and during lunch in the cafeteria, but none of them ever said a word.

 

They were beyond growing apart and it broke both of their hearts.

 

Three months before graduation day Tooru unintentionally eavesdropped a fight between Iwaizumi and Sayuri. Sayuri was complaining that Iwaizumi was always completely out of reach. He seemed to be anywhere in his mind but where he had to be at the moment, namely in the present when he was doing something with her. She was his girlfriend after all, just if he had forgotten that little but important detail.

 

Iwaizumi apologized for everything, reassuring her that it was because of the approaching final exams, telling her gently that she had to understand that he was in a lot more stress than she was at the moment.

 

She stomped away furiously, leaving him behind. Iwaizumi ran a hand through his hair and groaned in frustration.

 

Tooru couldn’t help but smile deviously at the thought of these two breaking up because of exams. It would be hilarious.

 

He took a step forward around the corner and leaned against the wall, arms crossed in front of his chest, a smug smile on his lips.

 

“Trouble in paradise, huh?” He asked innocently, but in his eyes twinkled a dangerous spark.

 

Iwaizumi’s head snapped up, looking at Tooru in utter surprise but quickly narrowing his eyes.

 

“Shut up, Oikawa.”

 

Tooru’s heart tightened at the call of his name, wishing he would hear his stupid nickname only one more time instead of this utterly impersonal calling.

 

“Oh, it’s speaking. I didn’t knew you could do that anymore.” Tooru mocked him.

 

Iwaizumi’s hand clenched. “I could ask you the same. Because who was the one who suddenly stopped any contact?” His eyes were like daggers and his voice was low and dangerous.

 

Tooru’s eyes widened. “Huh? Maybe I wanted to talk to you but you didn’t notice? Because – who of us was the one who got completely caught up only because he got himself his first girlfriend?” Tooru shook his head. “And that in the age of 22, how pathetic.”

 

Immediately, he knew he crossed the line. He didn’t need the fist crushing into his jaw to knew that.

 

Iwaizumi had a strong right hook, he had sent Tooru to the floor so fast the latter couldn’t even react.

 

“Bastard! I wasn’t the one ignoring you! _You_ were the one ignoring _me_!” Iwaizumi stood there, fist clenched tight against his body, as if he was stopping himself from hitting Tooru any more.

 

Tooru sat on the floor, trying to stop the blood from further streaming down his face.

 

“You destroyed my face! I’ll kill you!” He hissed, sending Iwaizumi a murderous glance.

 

Iwaizumi snorts bitterly. “Everything’s only about your shitty beauty, isn’t it? Doesn’t it even occur to you in the slightest that not everything is about you? You’re not the center of the fucking universe! You’re a pathetic little whiny shit who cries the minute he doesn’t get what he wants! I’m so sick of you!”

 

Tooru stared up at him, completely speechless. He had never seen Iwaizumi that angry before. He was scary when he was nearly exploding with rage. Tooru stood up, rubbing his jaw and looked Iwaizumi dead in the eye.

 

“Fine then, go! Leave me, you’re hating me anyway. I don’t need anyone like you in my life. Bye then, _Iwa-chan_.”

 

He turned on his heels but immediately stopped again, when he heard Iwaizumi talking once more.

 

“I bet my ass you’re just jealous.”

 

Tooru nearly jumped.

 

_How the fuck could he know that?!_

 

“Why the fuck should I be jealous?”

 

Iwaizumi shrugged his shoulders. “Because I have a girlfriend and you don’t. I bet you’re pissed because nobody wants you.”

 

Tooru laughed scornfully. “Do you even know what you’re talking about? Everybody wants me!” _Except you._ “Look at all those girls following me everywhere. They were thrilled to have a date with me, yet alone a relationship.” _Unlike you._ “So don’t speak of things you don’t understand.”

 

“Then why aren’t you dating anyone?” The question was blunt but it hit Tooru right there where it hurts.

 

“Because I don’t need anyone to feel _manly_ , I’m living good on my own.”

 

_Because I don’t want anyone but you!_

 

“Bullshit, you’re just bitter that no one wants to have to live with your shitty personality.”

 

Tooru snapped. “When my personality is so shitty then why are you even talking to me? Why did you spend the last years with me although you hate me, huh?”

 

“Because I had to. I’m your fucking soulmate, if you have forgotten that.”

 

Tooru gasped. “Because … _Because you had to?!_ Are you fucking kidding me?!”

 

Iwaizumi’s expression was deadly serious. “No, not at all.”

 

Tooru threw his hands up in the air. “Fine, then I’m exonerating you from your duty! Don’t dare to ever talk to me again, do you hear me? Never in your entire fucking life.”

 

“No worries, I won’t.” Iwaizumi’s eyes seemed like sending daggers and his whole composure screamed ‘Fuck off!”.

 

Tooru sent Iwaizumi one last glance, full of fury and momentarily hate.

 

“I hate you.”

 

_I love you._

 

“I hate you, too.”

 

Tooru turned around to go back to his room. When he was there the fury vanished, regret settling in with a loud bang and making him gasp for air, causing the long forgotten tears to finally come back and leaving him once again in utter devastation.

 

He officially and heroically had fucked up now.

 

And now, three months later on his graduation day he stood in front of everyone to receive his diploma.

 

It had been three months full of regret and even more grief than before. Whenever he and Iwaizumi saw each other they not only weren’t talking to each other, they were also not even looking at the other. Both were acting like the other had never existed in their lives at all.

 

Tooru’s eyes glided over the crowd of students, professors and parents in front of him who were all there to witness the graduation ceremony. He found his parents, his sister, her husband and their little children in the middle of the crowd. His parents looked like they were nearly bursting with pride, his father sent him a thumbs up and his mother smiled warmly.

 

Then his eyes found Iwaizumi, who sat in the front row with the other graduates. He was looking at the floor, his diploma already in his hands. By the look of it it nearly crumbled beneath his touch. Immediately Tooru’s eyes were looking for Sayuri, who had to be part of the audience, too but she was nowhere to be found.

 

White pain shoot through Tooru’s body when he realized that Iwaizumi was most likely pissed that his girlfriend wasn’t there instead of dreading in the events three months ago and regretting every word that was said, just like Tooru did in every single moment.

 

He tried several times to talk to Iwaizumi to apologize for everything that was said and done back then, he wanted to get his best friend back although he had to live with the knowledge that he would never be _his_. But every time he tried to talk to him a part of him held himself back. He was too cowardly to took a step in Iwaizumi’s direction and so he continued watching Iwaizumi from afar, knowing that if he didn’t get his shit together they would never talk again, not even in the slightest.

 

With the diploma in his hands he exited the stage and sat back on his place. They were half way through with the graduation and Tooru already wished that the day would be over. He couldn’t wait to be back in his room, to spend the last night in there before he had to gather his things and move out there into the apartment he already found one week ago. It was in the middle of Tokyo, not far away from the official Japanese national volleyball stadium, his new workplace.

 

A little over a month ago he received a letter from the manager of the national volleyball team that they would like him to be part of a practice match. They wanted to scout new players and Tooru had been one of their favorites. Tooru went to that practice match, he got accepted and was now more or less officially playing for Japan.

 

His biggest dream since he began playing Volleyball became true and he couldn’t be entirely happy about it because he couldn’t share it with the most important person in his life. Of course, he was overly excited to be accepted but when the first happiness settled into his body he began to feel lonely. He hadn’t anyone to tell them about the news except for his parents. Iwaizumi was out of question and Makki and Mattsun would have blown about everywhere and to anyone and Tooru had been strictly told by the manager that the announcement of the new players would only take place in a few weeks so he only had been allowed to tell it a few persons who could keep their mouths shut. So Makki and Mattsun were out of question, too.

 

Tooru felt like he was completely lonely in this world and it was entirely his own fault. He hated himself for telling Iwaizumi such terrible things. No wonder he hated him now, he even had spat it right into his face the last time.

 

_I hate you, too._

 

Tooru had never thought that words could hurt so damn much. The last time he felt that broken was when Sayuri introduced herself for the first time and he never wanted to feel anything like that ever again in his life.

 

Well, look what he was feeling now.

 

Tooru snapped out of his thoughts when the last student exited the stage and the ceremony was finally over. They all went back into a great hall were their were free to eat something, talk one last time to the professors and to say farewell to anyone.

 

Before Tooru could react he had two arms around his neck and a head pressed into his chest.

 

“Tooru, I’m so, so proud of you!” Hana cried into his chest. Literally cried.

 

Masaru patted his shoulder, little Takeru stood beside her and looked genuinely annoyed. “Me, too. We’re all so proud of you.”

 

They talked for a while and when the sunlight started to fade Hana grabbed Tooru by his sleeve and dragged him outside to sit on a bench.

 

Her eyes bored into his. “So, now tell me what has happened between you and Iwaizumi. I didn’t saw him all day!”

 

By the mention of that name Tooru’s gut clenched. He didn’t want to talk about him, he didn’t even want to think about him, although he failed at that every minute.

 

He shrugged his shoulders and his gaze dropped on the ground. “Nothing, what should’ve happened?” He tried to sound at least a bit convincing but his voice betrayed him, small, close before breaking.

 

“Tooru, I know you, don’t try to fool me!” She had her hands on her hips and her gaze was demanding. Tooru sighed in defeat.

 

“We don’t talk to each other anymore...”

 

“Why?”

 

Tooru gulped. “I- I may have said a few things that were completely unnecessary and stupid and we fought and now he hates me.”

 

Hana began to stroke her son’s back. “Why do you think he hates you?”

 

“Because he said that my personality is shitty as fuck and that he only stuck with me the last years because he’s my soulmate and he had to because of that. That’s why he hates me.”

 

“Are you sure it’s not just a misunderstanding?”

 

Tooru shook his head. “Absolutely not, there’s no way he didn’t meant it like that. He’s always honest and this time it isn’t any different.”

 

Hana sighed. “Honey, by the look of you I figure you didn’t fight for him the passed year, didn’t you?”

 

Tooru lowered his head and mumbled a weak “I tried.”

 

“Well, than try harder.” She grabbed his chin to get him to look her in the eyes. “Tooru, when you didn’t fight today and eradicate this misunderstanding or whatever it is you’ll maybe never get the chance again. So get up and search him! Did you hear me? I don’t want to see my son suffering any longer.” Her gaze and voice was determined. “When he didn’t want to listen to you I’m gonna kick his ass so hard he wished he would have listened to you.”

 

Tooru couldn’t help but laugh at the image of his mother kicking someones ass, let alone Iwaizumi’s.

 

Hana laughed, too. “Yeah, I got you smiling. And now get out here. Don’t you dare come back without him!”

 

Tooru felt a bit uneasy when he stood up, but he knew that his mother wouldn’t let him live in peace when he at least didn’t try to talk to his former best friend.

 

“All right, I’ll try my best.”

 

“Good luck, honey!” His mother smiled warmly and gave Tooru a little push so that he stumbled a bit forward. “See you later.”

 

Tooru nodded weakly, he was more than nervous. “Yeah, bye.”

 

With that he got back in the building and tried finding Iwaizumi.

 

–

 

He didn’t found him until close before midnight. He sat at the little lake that was on the campus, fumbling with a grass stalk. He didn’t notice Tooru at first, only when someone stood right next to him. He looked up to look right into Tooru’s face and his heart started to pound faster immediately.

 

“I’m sorry.” Was the only thing Tooru said before he sat down beside Iwaizumi.

 

They were silent for what seemed like eternity until Tooru couldn’t bear it anymore.

 

“I’m so, so sorry for saying those things back then. I regretted them the moment I said them and I never wanted to hurt you, but I understand if you never want to talk to me again but I wanted to get this out of my head before we’ll never see each other again because it was _killing_ me and...” He trailed down because he had so much more to say, but he didn’t dare saying them because it had meant to tell Iwaizumi _everything_.

 

When Iwaizumi still didn’t say anything Tooru sighed. “All right, I understand, I fucked up. I’m sorry I bothered you.” He made an attempt in standing up but he was held back by a hand wrapping around his wrist.

 

Iwaizumi’s touch sent thousand shivers down Tooru’s spine and he felt like he couldn’t breath.

 

“Don’t go.” Iwaizumi’s voice was small, barely to hear. His hand was still on Tooru’s wrist and the latter’s skin burned under the touch.

 

“I’m sorry, too. What I said was completely over the top.”

 

Tooru laid back onto the grass, looking up at the stars. He felt Iwaizumi’s hand leaving his wrist but in a quick movement he had his fingers around Iwaizumi’s, holding him. It was strange to finally hold the hand of the one you love, although it was more to show that you’re there, in that moment, to show that you’re wouldn’t go away.

 

“We’re both idiots, aren’t we?” Tooru said with a light chuckle, his head turning a bit to look Iwaizumi in the eyes who still sat.

 

He laid back, too, onto his side and never broke eye contact. Tooru felt his cheeks burning but thankfully it was too dark for Iwaizumi to see it.

 

“We’re definitely both idiots.”

 

After that they laid in silence for a long moment, watching the stars, hands still intertwined, hearts beating fast.

 

Tooru was the first one to break the silence, his gut clenched at the thought that with the next question he might ruin everything once again.

 

“Where’s Sayuri? I didn’t saw her all day and one would assume that one’s partner would be part of the ceremony to see the other graduate?”

 

To Toorus immense relief Iwaizumi didn’t even flinched in the slightest.

 

“Yeah, right … we broke up two days ago.”

 

Tooru suddenly sat up, back straight and hand unintentionally withdrawing in the movement as he looked Iwaizumi straight in the eyes. His heart hammered painfully in his chest. “What? Why?” He was almost sure he hadn’t heard right.

 

Iwaizumi didn’t respond immediately. He stubbornly looked at the sky and bit his lip as if he wanted to hold back the words. When he spoke Tooru felt his heart shattering. Again.

 

“Because I’m in love with someone else. Already have been even before I met Sayuri. And she had found out, so ...”

 

There goes the hope.

 

Tooru didn’t know why he had even felt hope in the first place, he knew damn well that Iwaizumi would have never left Sayuri for _him_. And he certainly wasn’t the one Iwaizumi was in love with, too. So why had he been hopeful for something so utterly ridiculous?

 

“Oh, that’s a pity.” He mumbled, eyes looking on the ground. He mustered all his strength to put on a wide smile.

 

“So, tell me, Iwa-chan – Who’s the mysterious person who stole your heart this long time ago? Do I know them?” He didn’t want to know them, if he would know the person Iwaizumi loved he would see them together furthermore if they’ll get together and he was certain he was unable to suffer any longer.

 

“Yeah, you totally know him...” As soon as those words slipped past Iwaizumi’s lips he pressed a hand over is mouth as if to take back the words. His eyes were big and obstinately fixated on a spot in the clear night sky.

 

Tooru whipped his head to face Iwaizumi. “ _Him_?!”

 

Fate definitely hated Tooru. Not only that it was possibly one of their friends, now it was a guy, _too_. Iwaizumi was in love with a fucking guy and it was not Tooru. The mere possibility that Iwaizumi might had feelings towards the same gender had been so preposterous to Tooru that he had never even thought about it. And now Iwaizumi told him he was apparently into guys, too was too much for him. He wanted to scream but with a lot of determination he suppressed the urge.

 

“Is that a problem?” Iwaizumi had every right to be angry and upset due to Tooru’s rude reaction but he was far away from that. Instead his voice was quiet and precarious, totally not what Tooru was used of his best friend.

 

Tooru shook his head quickly. “No, of course not! It’s cool.” He stuttered akwardly. “I-I mean is it cool? Do you… uh, have a problem with it?” He felt so uncomfortable in his own skin that he wanted to run away as quickly as possible, but he didn’t want to miss any single moment he had left with his soulmate.

 

Iwaizumi looked back up at the sky. “No, not anymore. At first I was totally overwhelmed but now I’ve settled to it. The only problem I have is that it’s unrequited...” He sent Tooru a quick side ward glance which the latter didn’t noticed.

 

Tooru’s heart jumped.

 

_When he doesn’t love you back then let_ me _love you!_

 

“I’m certain that’s bullshit.” He started, suddenly feeling Iwaizumi staring at him but he ignored it. If he had looked him in the eyes right now he just as well could’ve told him everything about his own feelings. “There’s no one out there who doesn’t love you!” His cheeks flamed up in a dark red. “A-At l-least I think so, heh.” He laughed awkwardly. As subtle as he could he changed the subject.

 

“So, is he one of our friends then?” That wasn’t subtle at all.

 

_Stupid Tooru!_

 

Iwaizumi hesitated and sat up, uncomfortably scratching his neck. If he was that uneasy about Tooru telling who it was it must have been someone Tooru didn’t like, instead he wouldn’t have made such a fuss about the whole story.

 

“Uhm, well...”

 

Tooru saw his apprehensions confirmed.

 

“No friends?!” He cried. “Then… wait! No way. NO!” He came to a horrific conclusion and hoped desperately that he was wrong. He _had to be_ wrong!

 

Iwaizumi eyed him in confusion. “What?”

 

Tooru gasped and put a hand over his mouth. “You’re not in love with that Ushiwaka bastard, aren’t you?! Please tell me you’re not!”

 

It would have been bad enough if Iwaizumi and Ushiwaka became a couple because it’s fucking Ushiwaka we’re talking about right now. But the worst of all would be that they would certainly be often in Tooru’s presence since Ushiwaka would be part of the national team, too and that would _definitely_ kill him.

 

Iwaizumi’s mouth dropped open. “What the fuck, Shittykawa! Who said anything about Ushijima?!”

 

With a relived sigh Tooru fell once again back on the grass. “Oh thank _god_! Thank god, Iwa-chan! Because if it isn’t one of our friends I figured it must be the enemy.” Tooru shrugged his shoulders. When he looked at Iwaizumi’s terrified expression he was unable to stop himself from laughing.

 

Iwaizumi leaned forward to smack Tooru on the head. “Dumbass! It could be one of my friends but none of yours, you know?”

 

“Yeah, that’s right, but you said I know him and since I don’t know any one of your friends...” He let his words fade, knowing Iwaizumi knew what he wanted to say.

 

“Okay, one more question – do I like him? After all I have to know who’s gonna made my soulmate and best friend hopefully happy for the rest of his life.” With every word he felt sicker, but he remained his caring facade as good as he could.

 

To his immense surprise Iwaizumi started laughing almost like a maniac. “Yeah, yeah… you love him, too, to be honest!”

 

Tooru never felt more confused in his entire life. How could Iwaizumi be in love with himself? That didn’t made any sense.

 

“Huh?” Was all of his confusion he was able to put into words. His expression was hilarious.

 

Iwaizumi’s laughter faded into a frustrated groan and he ran a hand over his face. Tooru could’ve sworn he heard Iwaizumi mumble something like “Oh fuck this shit” but before he could further think about it Iwaizumi laid right beside him, supported on his right arm. He was way closer than before and Tooru’s skin started to prickle just at the sight of being so damn close to his crush.

 

Green eyes bored into brown ones. “I can’t believe I’m in love with someone so dense.”

 

Tooru couldn’t breathe, Iwaizumi was too close. Too. Fucking. Close.

 

“Huh?” He repeated, he didn’t knew what to say otherwise because his brain may have stopped working.

 

Iwaizumi reached for one of Tooru’s hands, sliding his warm fingers against Tooru’s, holding them in his tender grip. He shifted a bit more closer, their breaths almost mingling and he could see the golden sprinkles in Tooru’s eyes.

 

“Tooru, I have one little question.” His thumb brushed sightly over Tooru’s hand, sending a warm shiver over Tooru’s entire body that only he could sense. Iwaizumi had not a singe clue what the sudden proximity did to his best friend.

 

“May I kiss you?”

 

Okay, scratch the _may_ – Tooru’s brain was completely out of action. He was so overwhelmed for everything that happened in the last minute he couldn’t react in the slightest. He was right in front of everything he ever wanted to happen to him and now he _couldn’t fucking move!_

 

Iwaizumi completely misinterpret Tooru’s wide eyes and lack of words. “Just one single little kiss. I want to know what I’ll be missing my whole life.” He had a pleading look in his eyes but Tooru still couldn’t react. He was like frozen.

 

Suddenly, as if he only now realized what he was doing here, Iwaizumi withdraw his hand and leaned back quickly. “I-Im sorry, I didn’t want to startle you. Just… just forget what I said, will you?” He ran a hand trough his hair. “I think I’ll go now, yeah, see you then.”

 

When he was about to stand up Tooru snapped out of his rigidity. In an almost desperate move he lunged forward and grabbed Iwaizumi’s wrist.

 

“Yes, you may.” He whispered, eyes wide open when he looked at Iwaizumi’s surprised expression.

 

“What?”

 

Now it was Tooru’s turn to slide his fingers against Iwaizumi’s. Every single inch of his body tingled and he felt never this nervous in his life. He brought his face so close to Iwaizumi’s that there noses nearly touched and he could almost taste Iwaizumi on his lips

 

“You can kiss me.”

 

There were only millimeters between them and the time Iwaizumi took to close the gap felt like eternity.

 

The moment his lips landed on Tooru’s and tenderly began to move Tooru thought he died and went to heaven.

 

The kiss was better than he could’ve ever imagined it. It was sweet and soft, slow to take every single sensation of it in. Iwaizumi’s hand which wasn’t in the tight grip of Tooru’s hand rested on Tooru’s cheek and everything in him burned. Tooru’s other hand moved to rest in the back of Iwaizumi’s neck, slowly twirling his dark locks between his fingers.

 

After a long moment they broke the kiss, foreheads leaning together, eyes closed and breath mingling.

 

“I’ve never thought that this would happen some day.” Iwaizumi whispered, his hands cupping Tooru’s face, his words brushing over the brunet’s still sensitive lips. He shuddered in a good way, overly happy with the immense bliss that he finally – _finally_ – kissed Iwaizumi.

 

“I’m still hoping it’s not a dream.” Tooru giggled, leaning a bit back so that he could look into Iwaizumi’s eyes. They were filled with felicity and a sparkle that made his whole face glow.

 

“I sure hope it’s not. I would be devastated to wake up and once again noticing that it was all just a beautiful but damn cruel dream.”

 

Tooru smirked and leaned forward, his lips hovering right over Iwaizumi’s and they touched with every word he said, sending pleasant shivers down his spine. “Then we have to make sure it’s not a dream, what do you say?”

 

“It would be my pleasure.” And in an instant Iwaizumi’s lips were back on Tooru’s, this time pressing a bit harder.

 

It wasn’t a dream.

 

It was real and overwhelming and breathtakingly wonderful. Tooru’s head buzzed, his stomach was exploding with butterflies and his skin was on fire everywhere Iwaizumi’s hands caressed his body.

 

His hands were still on Tooru’s cheeks, but soon they traveled further down his neck, playing softly with his locks and then glided over his back to rest on Tooru’s waist to pull him a bit closer.

 

Tooru craved to deepen the kiss so he wrapped his arms around Iwaizumi’s neck, pressed him closer and laid back on his back, Iwaizumi now hovering over him with half of his body.

 

They kissed for a long time, lips only separating when they needed air. It felt like everything they ever wanted and even more.

 

After minutes or hours, they didn’t even now anymore, they separated for good but still holding each other close, never wanting to let the other go now that they finally got so far.

 

Oikawa snuggled close to lay his head on Hajime’s broad chest, his hand caressing the crook of Hajime’s neck, his thumb gently stroking over his collarbone.

 

Hajime was the first one to speak, his voice soft. “We’re idiots.” He mumbled into Oikawa’s soft hair. Since they first met he wanted to feel these locks tickling his cheek, wanted to bury his nose in his naturally perfect sitting hair and smell the sent of his shampoo. In general he always wanted to be as near as possible to his soulmate and best friend and now he finally held him in his arms. He couldn’t possibly be any happier.

 

Oikawa chuckled and it was the most beautiful noise Hajime ever heard in his entire life.

 

_Oh hell, please stop being so sappy…_ A little voice in his head mocked him falteringly.

 

Oikawa suddenly sat up, his hand still laying on his Hajime’s chest, his eyes went very wide and he clasped his other hand in front of his mouth. “Oh my god, Iwa-chan!”

 

Hajime looked at him in confusion. “Eh, yes?”

 

“You said you were in love with someone?”

 

“Yeah? But now you-” He was interrupted by a squealing Oikawa.

 

“Iwa-chan, you’re in love with _me_?!” He bounced up and down, looking overly excited while Hajime watched him in utter disbelief. How could Oikawa be _this_ dense?!

 

“Shittykawa, why else should I’ve kissed you?” And before he could say anything else he was knocked back onto the grass by Oikawa who threw himself forward into Hajime’s arms.

 

He laughed and pressed his face into Hajime’s neck, arms wrapped tightly around his torso. After a few moments he pushed himself a bit up, hands beside Hajime’s head on the grass and looked into his eyes.

 

“Since when?”

 

“It happened when I hit the ground because of some stupid idiot who couldn’t watch where he was going with his stupid bicycle.” A crooked smile sneaked onto his lips when he remembered their first encounter. His ankle had hurt a lot back then, but when he had watched into the former stranger’s eyes nothing else had been important anymore but that idiot, even when Hajime didn’t realized it right away.

 

Oikawa pouted. “You could’ve watched out, too, you know? And by the way, I told you before – I wasn’t _going_. I was _driving_.” Only then he realized what Hajime had said and his eyes went wide once again. “Wait, you were in love with me that long? Why’d you never said anything?” That he himself had held back his own feelings for the exact same time span he didn’t mentioned.

 

Hajime scratched the back of his neck. “Well, at first I was very uncomfortable about myself. I’ve never liked a boy before that so it was kind of shocking to find yourself suddenly be attracted to the same sex.” He visibly hesitated before he decided to spoke further. “Okay, that’s not entirely true. You’re the only guy I’ve ever liked so…” He trailed down, not knowing what exactly he wanted to say with those last words.

 

“Anyways, I grew accustomed to it and someday one year after we met I was so close to confess to you even though I knew I didn’t have a single chance that you would return my feelings.” Hajime swallowed, he didn’t want to thought about that ever again but here we are. “I was so close, so, so _close_ but when we were about to meet you brought a girl with you and you were smiling so wide and held her hand and looked so happy and everything inside me turned numb and I decided to keep my mouth shut.”

 

He saw Oikawa’s eyes widen in recognition of the events two years ago. His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something but nothing came out, so Hajime spoke further, averting his gaze, looking on his fingertips.

 

“I thought that I shouldn’t disturb your happiness – and our friendship – just because my selfish self had to tell you how much I liked you.” He ran a hand through his hair. “And then, only four days later you brought another girl and just a few days later a third one, a fourth, a fifth and so on. Two months later I stopped counting, to exhausted with this stupid little voice inside my head that kept me telling that maybe someday you would be sick of all those girls so that I would’ve a second chance to confess to you, this time for sure.”

 

When Hajime looked up once again Oikawa’s face was twisted in pain, but this time he didn’t try to say anything.

 

“But before I had the chance to see you stopping to fool around with those girls Sayuri stood right in front of me. I just went out of class and there she stood, holding a letter in her outstretched hands, blushing furiously and bubbling about of how long she liked me and that she wanted to ask if I would go out with her by any chance.” Hajime swallowed again, he didn’t want to say what came next because he felt just so damn cheesy about it.

 

“Well, since I couldn’t have you, obviously, I thought about an opportunity to forget about my feelings for you, I wanted the pain of never be able to be yours to vanish and Sayuri’s confession just came right in time. We agreed on a date and soon after she asked if I wanted to be her boyfriend. I felt guilty of lying to her, of feigning my feelings to a girl that’s just so nice and cute, but I did it anyway, as you know.” He trailed down.

 

This time Oikawa spoke, his voice was quiet, barely a whisper. “But every time I saw you two together you seemed so happy and so utterly in love?”

 

Hajime looked into Oikawa’s big brown eyes, they were close enough for him to see the little golden twinkles in his irises and every time he looked into those eyes he felt like falling in love even more.

 

“That’s because I always thought about you when we were doing some couple things.”

 

Oikawa’s eyes widened even more, if that was even possible and he wanted to respond to Hajime’s confession, but Hajime didn’t let him. He scooted closer and rested his hand on Oikawa’s cheek, gently stroking it and still looking him deep in the eyes.

 

“I realized quiet quickly that I couldn’t forget about you, even if it had been my deepest wish, but I wanted to try to fall in love with her, anyways. But I realized, too that that was never going to happen. Ever time I looked into her beautiful eyes I couldn’t help to compare them with yours and every time I came to the conclusion yours were more beautiful. Every time I caressed her arms I compared her soft skin with yours and once again I realized yours were softer. I compared your voices and – what a surprise – I couldn’t help to find yours nicer, smoother and most importantly more worth listening to.”

 

Only now he realized Oikawa was crying. Silent tears rolled down his cheeks and Hajime caught them with his fingertips, carefully gliding his them over Oikawa’s soft face.

 

“Someday I perfected the illusion of being with you instead of her. I was in my own little world with you by my side and I knew it was wrong to play with her like that but I wasn’t able to stop. But someway along the line everything went wrong. She noticed that I wasn’t really paying attention to her and she had been furious about it and blamed anything on volleyball.” He stopped, breathing heavily, deeply in thoughts to find the next words.

 

“And then you appeared suddenly out of nowhere and when I saw you my heart stopped and then you began talking and all I wanted to do was run to you, pull you into my arms and never let you go but we both know that never happened, right?” He chuckled bitterly.

 

“I was so angry about what you said but at the same time I wanted to kiss you so _bad_ that everything inside me hurt.” Hajime hesitated. “I’m sorry I said those words, I really am.”

 

Oikawa’s cheeks were still a bit wet and he still couldn’t have stopped crying entirely. He placed a hand on Hajime’s cheeks as well and rested their foreheads together. “I’m sorry, too. I never meant anything of it.”

 

Hajime let out a strangled breath. “Remember when I said I had to stick with you despite your bad personality?”

 

Oikawa nodded. “I felt so terrible back then, I almost wanted to die in this moment, you know?”

 

Hajime’s face twisted in pain. “The truth is I love you so much, you could be a murderer or something like that and I still wouldn’t be able to leave you. All the time I watched you from afar, kissing and flirting with those girls I wanted to drew the line, wanted to leave you with your own business and move on on my own but I just _couldn’t_. Every time I just thought about leaving you everything inside me screamed and I was drawn back to you as if we were connected through a rubber band.”

 

“I think we kind of are.” Oikawa mumbled, his warm breath pleasantly tingling on Hajime’s face. “I spoke to my mom just after I knew about your relationship with Sayuri. I had just decided to stop the meaningless flings with those girls to do more with you again, to be near you again and maybe to finally confess to you. My feelings killed me since the first moment we met, but I only noticed them a few months later.” He stopped, coughing. “Anyways, I told my mom that I was in love with you so badly but that you just got a girlfriend and that I just wasn’t able to hold myself together any longer. I felt like I would go insane if I wouldn’t stop loving you but here’s the clue – she told me that if your in love with your soulmate you will never be able to love someone else. You will be drawn to them until you die and nothing could make you feel otherwise.” He leaned back a bit to look properly into Hajime’s eyes, a big smile now plastered onto his lips.

 

“The best thing is – if you and your soulmate fall in love with each other equally there’s now way that you’ll ever separate.”

 

Hajime’s eyes grew wide and his heart started to beat so fast it had to explode any second. “You mean-?”

 

“Yeah, I mean.” Oikawa said breathlessly, closing the distance and pressing his lips softly on Hajime’s. Hajime’s eyes fluttered shut and he didn’t noticed holding his breath until Oikawa drew back to catch his breath for himself.

 

Hajime’s both hands were on Oikawa’s soft and now once again dry cheeks, their foreheads pressed together again.

 

“I love you.” He whispered.

 

“I love you, too, Hajime. So, so much!” Oikawa giggled and Hajime decided that it was truly the most beautiful sound on this planet.

 

_I hate you_ ’s turned into _I love you_ ’s and neither of them ever felt happier in their lives before.

 

After a while Oikawa spoke again, his head resting on Hajime’s chest, one of his arms slung around the dark brunet’s torso. “So what happened then? After we fought, I mean?”

 

Hajime sighed heavily and started stroking Oikawa’s head, softly playing with his locks. “I felt like shit. I was so angry about myself that I said those things to you that I couldn’t concentrate more on Sayuri just like I promised so she started following me everywhere without me noticing it. The time we spent together we didn’t talk much and every time she wanted to do something I just couldn’t bring myself up to do it any longer, to pretend that I was with you instead of her.” He paused briefly. “And then, two days ago she stormed into my room and demanded an explanation. I was so sick of lying to her that I just told her the truth, that I was in love with someone else all along. She was the one who brought up your name first. She told me she had been certain that I was cheating on her so she had been following me to caught me in the act and she caught me staring at you from afar quite often so she did the math and figured you were the one. End of story, we broke up and I seriously couldn’t be happier about it.”

 

Speaking the last words he felt Oikawa leaning up. Looking into his pretty face, he felt exactly why he couldn’t be happier. If there was anything on this earth he could be looking at constantly until he dies it would be Oikawa’s face. His eyes, his smile, his few tiny freckles that were scattered on his soft cheeks.

 

At this moment Oikawa’s brown eyes sparkled with love and his smile was brighter than the sun.

 

“I couldn’t be happier, too, Iwa-chan~” He whispered before rejoining their lips once more.

 

It was a loving and gentle kiss, full of admiration, commitment and trust.

 

Remembering something Hajime smirked against Oikawa’s lips. “You know what I hadn’t been able to compare with when I was still with Sayuri?”

 

Oikawa shook his head silently.

 

“I never could compare your lips. I thought so much about how yours would feel on mine that it drove me insane. And now I can finally compare – hers taste nice and sweet, but yours ...”

 

“What about mine, Iwa-chan?”

 

Hajime smiled wide. “Yours taste like heaven.” He said before uniting their lips once again in a breathtaking and utterly overwhelming kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter isn't uploaded until in at least two weeks because I have exams coming up and I haven't wrote the next chapters yet so yeah, please don't hate me :3


	8. 4 years later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, I'm so sorry, guys! I've had a nasty writer's block, but I finally managed to beat it! That chapter got a little bit out of hand ... I hope the length makes up for my long absence.

The night was warm, a pleasant breeze sweeping over their bodies as they laid on a blanket watching the clear night sky, hands intertwined and only their steady breaths and the sounds of the woods audible.

 

Tooru averted his gaze of the millions of stars above him to look at his boyfriend laying beside him. Even after four years he still felt overwhelmed when he thought about Hajime as _his._ Every time Tooru looked at him a little too long every single thought vanished to leave one thought, only. 

 

_I love you._

 

Every time they kissed he felt like melting into Hajime’s touch, everything around them disappeared, leaving them in their very own world and again there was only one thought left.

 

_We love each other._

 

And every time they touched it was like  heaven. On the one hand soft and gentle, on the other hand full of passion and bliss. There wasn’t a single time that Tooru wished they would doing something else because every time they were together like this he felt absolutely and entirely certain of one thing about Hajime.

 

_You love me._

 

Tooru snuggled closer against Hajime, his head laying on the others chest, his arm draped over Hajime’s stomach. Everything in this moment reminded him of the time when they finally got together and never in his life did he felt happier.

 

__

 

After their talk about their infinitely stupid struggle with their feelings they laid in the grass, partly looking at the stars but mostly kissing to make up for the three years they’ve missed already. Some time later both were too tired to go back to the party, so they decided to return to one of their dorm rooms. But before they left for good Tooru suddenly stopped to look at Hajime with wide eyes, excitement sparkling in them.

 

“Iwa-chan! You have to meet my parents!” Tooru sang happily. Hajime smacked him lightly on the back of his head.

 

“I already know your parents, idiot.”

 

Tooru’s excitement didn’t falter. “Yeah, I know that, _baka_ but you know each other not in _that_ way. So, obviously, you have to meet them as soon as possible.”

 

Hajime couldn’t have stopped Tooru to introduce him once again to his family, not as friend but as boyfriend this time, even if he had wanted to.

 

First – nobody could stop Tooru when he had some idea fixed in his head. Absolutely nobody. Second – Hajime wasn’t able to resist Tooru’s demands in the slightest. At this point he probably would’ve done _everything_ for him.

Third – Hajime wanted to meet Tooru’s parents again, he wanted to show them that he truly loved Tooru and that he _literally_ would do anything for him.

 

Iwaizumi Hajime was a basket case when it came to Oikawa Tooru and he was entirely happy with that.

 

By the time they arrived at the festival building Tooru craned his neck to look over the amount of people to find his family in the crowd. He stood on tip toes but they were nowhere to be found.

 

With a pout Tooru stopped looking.

 

“Maybe they already left, it’s pretty late.” Hajime interposed. He was pretty sure that his own parents had already left the festivities.

 

“No, they have to be somewhere here. I don’t allow them to be already gone.” Tooru straightened his back again, grabbed Hajime’s hand and dragged him over into the next room.

 

After they searched the entire building Tooru finally gave up. He looked utterly disappointed. Hajime couldn’t bear this sight at all.

 

“Hey, look at me.” Hajime gently grabbed Tooru’s chin so he could look him into the eyes. “Just because they have already left doesn’t mean I can’t meet them the next day, does it? I’m sure we could meet someday next week.”

 

Tooru nodded slightly. “Okay. But I wanted to tell them as soon as possible that we’re finally together.”

 

“Believe me, I want to tell mine, too.” Hajime laughed. Tooru once again felt his heart hammering in his chest. Hajime’s laugh was one of the most beautiful sounds he ever heard. “You have no idea how many times my mother wanted to finally meet my soulmate and after I told her that I’m in love with you she was so excited but than she threated me to disinherit me should I dare to tell her too late when we managed to get together.”

 

“Suits you right! How dare you I never met your parents by now?” Tooru pouted once again.

 

“I told you they went back to the Philippines when I went to college. They’re in Japan only every other month.” Tooru opened his month to protest but Hajime just ignored him. “And every time they were here, there was no time for you to meet them or something like that. But they’re here the upcoming week to help me move into the new apartment so I’m sure you could meet them then.”

 

The offer made Tooru smile. “I’m looking forward to it.” He stepped a bit closer, his hands on Hajime’s shoulders. Immediately Hajime’s hands were on Tooru’s hips, gently stroking. His fingers slipped under the fabric of his button-down, caressing Tooru’s skin, the tender touch sending thousand shivers down his spine.

 

“I still can’t believe it.”

 

They stood so close together that Hajime’s words were whispered right against Tooru’s lips.

 

“I don’t think I’m able to believe it even when I’m 90 years old.”

 

“When _we’re_ 90 years old, Iwa-chan.”

 

Hajime smiled. “Right, when we’re 90 years old.” He leaned forward to press their lips together again. No words in this world could describe the feelings raging inside him. He was kissing his soulmate, his best friend, the man he was in love with since they first met. It felt incredible to be finally able to taste these lips and from now on there was nothing that could stop him from worshiping the man in front of him for the rest of his life.

 

And if Hajime had ever thought that he would be able to keep these deeper than deep feelings for himself he didn’t reckon with the overly emotional and cheesy Hajime that called himself now _Oikawa fucking Tooru’s boyfriend._

 

He didn’t care, though.

 

“Fucking gay.”

 

“Super fucking gay.”

 

The sudden voices next to them made the couple jump apart.

 

The intruders happened to be Makki and Mattsun, who stood shoulder to shoulder and with their arms crossed in front of their chests beside them. Their expressions were similar smug and filthy.

 

Makki spoke first. “Kissing in front of everyone, tsk tsk.”

 

“In the middle of the room where everyone can see you.” Mattsun followed suit.

 

“Gross PDA. Gross.”

 

“Have you no shame?”

 

“Exactly, have you no _shame_? There are _children_ nearby.”

 

“Jesus Christ.”

 

“At least get a room. Not everyone wants to see two hot guys kissing right in front of them.”

 

“You perverts.”

 

“STOP!” Hajime interrupted them loudly but neither of them seemed bothered by it in the slightest.

 

“No, _you_ stop or we’re telling your mom what lewd things you guys are doing in here.” Makki told them with a boastful grin.

 

The word _mom_ caught Tooru’s attention. “Wait, Iwa-chans okaasan is still here? I have to see her immediately.” He grabbed Hajime’s hand but before he could move he noticed he didn’t even know where to find his mother. “Where’s she exactly?”

 

“Not Iwa’s mom, your mom, Trashy. She’s outside, speaking with some other woman.”

 

A small pout sneaked onto Tooru’s lips. “But I want to see Iwa-chan’s okaasan!”

 

“I told you you could see her next week some time.” Hajime reassured him, squeezing Tooru’s hand.

 

Tooru’s pout vanished but he still didn’t look pleased. “All right, but you have to promise me that I’m going to meet her, you hear me?”

 

“Yeah, promise him or you guys will have your first fight already during honeymoon.” Makki barged in.

 

“That would be a pity, wouldn’t it?” Mattsun added.

 

Hajime furrowed his brows and glared at them. “You guys are talking utter bullshit, you know that?” He turned around to look Tooru in the eyes. “I’ll promise. And now let’s go, I’m tired.”

 

At hearing the promise Tooru’s mood visibly brightened. “But first I’m telling kaasan about us. Come on, Iwa-chan.” He dragged his boyfriend towards the doors.

 

They hadn’t even opened the door before loud voices were audible.

 

“Practice safe sex, kiddos!” Makki yelled after them.

 

“Use condoms!” Mattsun screamed. Both of them burst into laughter when Hajime showed them the middle finger without looking at them.

 

As soon as they were out of the door Tooru began looking around to find his mother. Makki had been right, there she was, standing at the other end of the patio with another woman Tooru didn’t recognize.

 

“I see them! Come, Iwa-chan, meet your mother-in-law.” Tooru laughed happily and dragged Hajime towards them. He didn’t notice Hajime’s big eyes that were fixed on the other woman.

 

“Kaasan!” Tooru screamed and Hana turned her head around. Her eyes immediately found Tooru’s and Hajime’s clasped hands. She whipped her head back to face the woman next to her and began squealing like a girl in high school. To Tooru’s immense shock the other woman joined in.

 

The nearer they got the more Tooru thought that the other woman looked oddly familiar. She was a rather small and really beautiful looking woman. She had a fair skin and her dark brown hair was thick and quite short. Her big eyes were the color of fresh olives and there were cute dimples on her cheeks because of her laugh. Her laugh in general reminded him somehow of -

 

He whipped his head around only to look into Hajime’s surprised expression. Tooru looked at the thick, dark brown hair, which was styled in spikes, he saw his olive green eyes and when he looked really close he even saw the cute dimples on his cheeks, which Tooru learned to love really quickly.

 

They reached Tooru’s mother and now that Hajime stood right next to that woman the similarities couldn’t be overseen.

 

“Tooru!” Hana screamed happily, her voice a little too loud and her cheeks a little too pink. Tooru saw an empty bottle of wine and two glasses right next to them.

 

“Hajime!” The other woman pressed the shorter one of them against her chest and hugged him tightly. She whispered something to him, but Tooru couldn’t understand it.

 

“Mom, let me go, I can’t breathe!” Hajime mumbled against her shoulder, the fabric muffling his voice. When he was released out of her embrace his cheeks were flushed a pretty pink and Tooru thought it was utterly endearing to see his boyfriend so flustered.

 

His own mother had now taken a hold of Tooru, too. Her arms were tightly looped around his stomach. “I’m so proud of you! Finally, I don’t have to watch you suffer anymore.” She let go of him only to look at him with a little scowl while she repeatedly poked her finger against her son’s chest. “Took you long enough, shame on you!”

 

Tooru laughed sheepishly. “Yeah, yeah, I know, you don’t have to tell me that.” He took a step back and turned towards the woman who, how Tooru had thought, was indeed Hajime’s mother. He extended his hand and smiled widely.

 

“Hello, Iwaizumi-san. I’m Oikawa Tooru, Iwa-chan’s -” Hajime interrupted him.

 

“Boyfriend.” The tips of his ears were pink as he said that, but he had a proud expression on his face. Then his eyes went wide and he nervously started rubbing his neck. “I … I wanted to say it out loud.” He explained himself.

 

Tooru felt like he would spontaneously combust any moment. At times, Hajime was just too sweet for his – and Tooru’s – own good.

 

Hajime’s mother laughed warmly and grabbed Tooru’s extended hand. “Nice to meet you, Oikawa-san, boyfriend of my son.” The last part she added with a wink towards Hajime, who buried his head in his hands.

 

“Mom, please...”

 

She laughed once again. “I’m never going to let you live it down~” Then she turned back towards Tooru.

 

“I’m Iwaizumi Airi. I’m so happy for both you, Hajime told me so much about you! He was raving about you since the day you’ve met.” She chuckled.

 

“Moooom” came the low growl of Hajime, whose head was still in his hands. Airi however didn’t have any intentions to stop speaking.

 

”You should’ve heard him. I never met someone so love struck. It was like when he was 4 years old and just hadn’t stopped talking about the stuffed Godzilla he had seen at that one store. When he finally got it he spent every second with it. It even had to get a bath with him together.”

 

Hajime’s head shot upwards. “MOM!” He complained loudly, sending his mother a disbelieving glance.

 

Tooru was imagining little Hajime with his little Godzilla in his hands, angrily stomping his foot down when he wasn’t allowed to take it into the bathtub with him.

 

“Oh god, Iwa-chan! You must have been such a cute little child. Makes me want to go back in time and cuddle you~”

 

Hajime’s gaze turned from disbelieve towards murderous. One eyebrow twitched dangerously.

 

“Shittykawa, I dare you, when you say another word, I’m gonna punch you. This time for real.” He threatened his boyfriend, who was still chuckling.

 

“My, my, _Iwa-chan_ , watch your tongue young man.” Airi chirped. “That isn’t how you treat your boyfriend.”

 

Hearing his stupid, but secretly beloved nickname – but only when Tooru was the one saying it! - Hajime groaned in frustration. “Not you, too. What’s with that stupid nickname, anyway?! I’m not a girl.”

 

“Oh no, you aren’t.” Oikawa whispered under his breath, looking at Hajime with a longing gaze. To his immense horror he wasn’t as quiet as he had thought and now both women were laughing out loud.

 

Now both Hajime and Tooru were embarrassed.

 

“Great, Shittykawa. Bravo!” Hajime hissed.

 

Tooru looked away. “Sorry” He mumbled ruefully.

 

The women in front of them slowly stopped laughing.

 

“Oh my, who would’ve thought back then in school that someday we would laugh about our sons being love struck idiots, hm?” Hana managed to say between laughter.

 

Something about that was bothering Tooru, but he couldn’t really say what it was. It was not the idiots part, though.

 

“No one” Airi laughed. “It would’ve been great to raise or kids together, wouldn’t it?”

 

Now it hit him.

 

“Wait, _what_?!” Tooru cried. Had he heard right? Back then in school? Rising kids together?

 

Hana was currently approving of Airi’s question, but was now turning her head towards her son.

 

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

 

Tooru’s mouth stood open. “You said something about school and rising children. For how long do you know each other exactly?”

 

Hana shrugged her shoulders at that question. “Eh, I think since we we’re 6 or 7 years old, I guess. We’ve been best friends since elementary school. Why?”

 

Tooru couldn’t believe it. That meant …

 

“Does that mean I could have known Iwa-chan since we we’re babies?!” He asked in utter disbelief.

 

Hajime looked equally unbelieving. He could have known that idiot his whole life? That would have been terrible! But then again they would _have known each other for their whole lives_! Which meant that they probably would have been a couple much sooner. Hajime felt somewhat betrayed and robbed.

 

“Well, our paths separated after high school.” Airi explained. “I went to the Philippines for a year and Hana and I were still in touch, but then I met a young man, half Filipino, half Japanese, we fell in love and I decided to stay. Slowly all my old friendships broke apart, the one with your mother, too.” She patted Hajime on the back. “We married, I got a job and we were establishing a cute little family there with our little baby boy. When Hajime was 3 years old, Haru, my husband, got offered a great job in Japan. We moved back here but I never had the chance to meet my old friends.”

 

“And today I was still sitting on that bench after you left, Tooru, and then this woman approached me, talked something about involuntarily eavesdropping our conversation and now we’re here.” Hana ended the story.

 

Tooru needed a moment to take in the new information. “Okay, I get it. But why haven’t you never said anything? I could’ve met my Iwa-chan so much sooner.” He whined. Hajime softly slapped the back of his head. “Stop whining, idiot.”

 

Hana and Airi laughed again. “Well, we would’ve told you if we had knew.” Hana started. “Listen, Tooru-baby, how could I’ve known that Iwaizumi is the son of my former best friend? I didn’t even knew she got married and therefore, I didn’t even know she had a knew family name.”

 

Airi nodded. “Same here, if I had known, that Hana wasn’t called Kawayama anymore but Oikawa then I would’ve told Hajime about that.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Not, that it would have mattered. You guys already knew each other, anyway.”

 

Tooru looked depressed.

 

“Come on, Shittykawa. We’re together now. That’s all that matters, isn’t it?” Hajime said in an attempt to sooth him. As soon as he laid his hand on Tooru’s lower back the latter relaxed a bit, as if the touch was giving him new energy.

 

“But we could have been together so much longer! Now it feels like we have not enough time together.” Tooru seemed seriously crestfallen.

 

Without even thinking about the two woman next to them anymore Hajime stepped closer to Tooru and put his hands on his cheeks, to get him to look him into the eyes.

 

“Then we have to make up for that. I promise you, I’m never leaving you. We will be together for our entire lives and I’m gonna relish every single second of it. I love you, Tooru, and no lost time in the world could make me forget that.”

 

Tooru’s eyes were glistering and he reached forward to lay his arms over Hajime’s shoulders, closing the distance between them and burying his head in the crook of Hajime’s neck. Hajime’s hands rested now on Tooru’s lower back.

 

“Iwa-chan, you’re so cute.” Tooru whispered. “I just wanna cuddle you all day.”

 

Hajime’s ears flushed pink. “Shut up.” He whispered back. “And yes, me, too.” He pulled Tooru even closer, breathing in his scent. If he had the possibility to spend the rest of his life just standing there like that, with Tooru in his arms, he would never do anything else.

 

Loud sniffs interrupted their embrace. With a jolt both remembered, that they weren’t alone in that moment. Great, now they have had embarrassed themselves three times in merely 15 minutes.

 

They turned their attentions toward the noises and were surprised what sight greeted them.

 

Hana and Airi laid in each others arms, their cheeks were slick with tears and they were sobbing quite loudly.

 

“Oh god, they’re so cute!” Airi said with tears streaming out of her eyes like a waterfall.

 

“How can your son be that charming, Airi?!” Hana whined into her arms.

 

“I don’t know?” Airi cried desperately.

 

“I don’t want them to stop! Here’s my heart, boys, you can do with it whatever you want!”

 

“I can die happy now. My OTP’s canon!”

 

Hajime and Tooru were watching their mothers in utter confusion. What the hell was wrong with them? Tooru looked at Hajime, who just shrugged his shoulders.

 

Tooru cleared his throat to get their attention.

 

“All right, first of all – nobody’s dying here. I won’t allow it. Second – what the hell?”

 

“And what in heaven is an OTP?” Hajime added, one eyebrow raised. “And what does it have to do with us?”

 

As soon as they heard their sons talking, Hana and Airi separated. Hana looked not amused.

 

Airi put her son’s question off with a wave of her hand. “Oh, nothing important. You can google it if you want, but it’s really not important.”

 

Hana nodded. “So, if that’s clear now -” She stepped forward, put a hand on Tooru’s left and Hajime’s right arm to push them back together. “No, go on, please. Don’t let us disturb you.” She grabbed the back of their heads.

 

“And now – kiss.”

 

As much as Tooru wanted to kiss Hajime senseless, he didn’t want to do it in front of their parents. That would have been weird. Well, then again nothing was as weird as their mother’s behavior right now. Seriously, how much wine had been in that bottle?!

 

He ducked away to avoid colliding with Hajime. Instead he grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers. The touch was warm and Tooru never wanted to let go of Iwa-chan’s hand.

 

“Okay, ehm. I think we’re going now, right, Iwa-chan?” He squeezed his hand to signal him to play along, but he hadn’t had to worry about that. Hajime wanted to be out of there as soon as possible, too.

 

“Yeah, we’re kind of tired, so we’re going to bed now.”

 

That definitely was the exact wrong thing to say.

 

“Hana, did you hear that?” Airi bounced up and down like an excited kid. “They’re going to bed now!”

 

Hana’s eyes went wide. “Oh my god. Do you think-?”

 

Airi nodded. “Yeah, I do.”

 

Meanwhile Tooru and Hajime slowly backed away towards the doors, they were trying to leave without their mothers noticing. They failed.

 

They were nearly at the doors, when Airi screamed after them. “Practice safe sex, boys!”

 

And Hana added “Use condoms! It’s important!”

 

With that Hajime dragged Tooru inside the building. In the corner he saw Makki and Mattsun bending over with laughter.

 

“Someday I’m gonna kill you, guys.” He muttered when they went past them and out of the building.

 

When they were finally outside and on their way towards the dorm, Tooru let out a horrified noise.

 

“Oh god, my mom’s so fucking weird sometimes.”

 

Hajime snorted. “Yeah, I don’t have to mention mine, do I?” He tucked out his phone and opened Google. Several seconds passed, then -

 

“What the fuck?!”

 

He obviously had found out about the whole OTP thing. And he was not amused.

 

__

 

Three months had passed since graduation and today was finally the day, Hajime and Tooru moved in together.

 

They had talked about moving in together, before. They had made plans for after college and decided that it would be cooler to live together in an apartment, at least until they would find the love of their lives to live with, instead of living alone and be bored the whole time.

 

But when they had grown apart due to the whole feelings story and their fight in their last year of college, these plans were promptly forgotten. Because of that both of them had found a cute little apartment for one person only.

 

Neither of them could’ve guessed, let alone dared to hope, that they became a couple on graduation day. With that they were forced to live in different apartments until their cancellation periods were over.

 

Finding the perfect apartment was easier said than done. They had visited a lot of apartments, but none of them seemed right.

 

One of them had been to small and Tooru had promptly complained about it the minute they entered.

 

“Iwa-chan! No, it’s too small in here. I can’t possibly develop my personality here.” He had whined with an annoyingly high voice.

 

“You already developed your personality, idiot.” Hajime had grumbled. “It’s shitty by the way.”

 

“You’re always so mean, Iwa-chan. Why do you not love me?” Tooru had complained, a pout on his lips.

 

Another one had a too small bathroom and Tooru had complained again.

 

“There isn’t enough space for my products. I refuse.”

 

“Why the hell do you even need all of them?!” Hajime would never understand the sense in products that weren’t hairspray or styling gel.

 

“To look pretty for my Iwa-chan, of course~” Tooru had said in a sing song.

 

“You’re already pretty enough.” Hajime had mumbled under his breath, hoping that Tooru hadn’t heard it. He had hoped vainly.

 

Tooru had looped his arms around Hajime’s neck and pressed his chest against his back. “Awww, my Iwa-chan’s so cute~” He breathed into his boyfriend’s ear, sending a pleasant shiver down Hajime’s spine due to their sudden proximity.

 

“I still need more space for my products, though.”

 

Hajime had groaned.

 

The next apartment they visited wasn’t good enough for Hajime.

 

“Since I’m the only one who’s cooking in this relationship and because you’re always hanging off me, using all my needed space in the kitchen for yourself, I need a bigger one than my current one.”

 

Tooru pouted. “Do you want me to stop bugging you in the kitchen? But I thought you liked me?”

 

“Did I fucking stutter?” Hajime deadpanned. “If I would want you to stop bugging me I would take any kitchen. But I need a bigger one, so that you could still be in there. You understand me?”

 

Tooru had beamed. “So you _do_ like me!”

 

Once again Hajime had groaned.

 

The next one was too small again.

 

“What did I say about apartments being too small?”

 

“Yeah, yeah, just leave me alone with that personality bullshit.”

 

“Mean, Iwa-chan!”

 

The one after that was too dark for both of them.

 

“Too little of light isn’t good for your health, did you know that?”

 

“Tooru, guess what?”

 

“What?”

 

“I studied medicine, I know that, idiot.”

 

“You’re so mean! Sometimes, I wonder how we even managed to became a couple.”

 

“You know you love me.”

 

“Yeah, I know, Iwa-chan~ But still...”

 

“Shut up or I’ll smack you!”

 

“Oh, I know where you could smack me~ … ouch!”

 

But then. on a sunny afternoon after weeks of searching, they finally found the perfect apartment. It was great enough to please Tooru, it had a big kitchen to please Hajime and it was bright enough to please both of them. Out of sheer luck the apartment was nearly in the middle of their workplaces. Tooru didn’t need to drive long to reach the volleyball stadium of the Japanese National Volleyball Team and Hajime was near enough to reach the small sports therapy doctor’s office by feet.

 

But most important of all -

 

Tooru stood in the middle of the bedroom, spinning around with laughter. Hajime watched him, leaned against the door frame. He loved it when his boyfriend was so genuinely happy about something. His entire appearance changed from being this overly charismatic and charming young man, who did nothing without any form of ulterior motive and who always tried to be the one others wanted him to be, into a man who sometimes acted like a child and who finally showed his emotions without even thinking about it twice. Hajime loved that he was one of the few people who were important enough to Tooru to let them see his true self.

 

When Tooru stopped spinning he nearly fell on the floor. His brain hadn’t realized yet that it has to focus again on standing without falling down. Hajime quickly stepped forward to catch him in time and Tooru fell against his chest, burying his face in the crook of Hajime’s neck. His hands were on the latter’s hips, slowly drawing an undefined pattern.

 

“Look at that view, Iwa-chan!” Without looking up he pointed towards the enormous windows in the room. The apartment was in a higher level and they could watch over a little part of Tokyo but it wasn’t that high that they’re wouldn’t be any light shining into the room at night.

 

Tooru suddenly started kissing Hajime’s neck, leaving a trail from his ear towards his collarbone and then back again.

 

“Imagine the nights here, Iwa-chan.” He hummed against his skin. “Imagine the lights of the city shining down on our naked, heated bodies, slick with sweat~” His hands had already slipped under Hajime’s shirt, drawing the invisible patterns on his boyfriend’s bare skin. His fingers moved near the waistband of his jeans, daring to slip under it to draw the patterns in an entirely different area.

 

With a lot of force Hajime got a hold of Tooru’s wandering hand, causing the brunette’s head to peak up at the disturbing of his plans. “N-not now, Tooru.” Hajime managed to say. His voice was already lower than usual, his cheeks were flushed and his eyes were half lidded, blinking heavy with lust.

 

Tooru got a little closer, causing their lower halves to bump. Both had to suppress a moan.

 

“And why not?” Tooru whispered seductively into Hajime’s ear, grinding his hips at Hajime’s again.

 

“Not in- in front of the broker, i-idiot. She could be back any minute.” He had a really hard time to control himself, with Tooru being so close to him.

 

Tooru bit his earlobe and a surprised – and longing – little sound came over Hajime’s lips. Smirking and proud of himself Tooru let his lips wander over Hajime’s jaw towards his mouth, hovering millimeters over his parted lips. His gaze bored into Hajime’s wide green eyes.

 

“Let her watch, then.” Tooru nothing more than breathed against the shorter one’s lips before claiming them.

 

The kiss was already out of hand in a matter of seconds. As soon as Tooru’s lips touched Hajime’s the latter’s self-control was blown away as if it hadn’t even exist in the first place. His hands were on the brunette’s lower back, slipping under it and touching every little centimeter they found. Without even realizing it Hajime pushed Tooru back until his back met the wall. Immediately Tooru slung his legs around Hajime’s hips, the latter’s hands now firmly on his ass, squeezing. When Hajime grind their groins further together Tooru let out a high gasp, throwing his head back and unintentionally breaking the heated kiss. Hajime let his lips wander over Tooru’s jaw towards his ear. He nibbled a bit on his earlobe, littered his neck with kisses, causing Tooru to let out even more gasps. When he suddenly bit down in the soft skin right behind Tooru’s ear the latter let out a loud moan, long and yearning for more. Hajime moved one hand between their bodies, opening the button of Tooru’s jeans, reaching for the zipper.

 

Before he had the chance to move his hands any further he heard a loud gasp and the clatter of a pencil falling down.

 

Both men whipped their heads around in utter terror. They looked in the terrified expression of the broker, who held a formula in her hands. She was standing there like petrified. Barging in in two guys making out vigorously wasn’t really on her must-see-list.

 

As quickly as possible Hajime let go of Tooru and desperately tried to fix his shirt. At the same time he tried to hide the enormous bulge in his pants, but he feared he couldn’t conceal _that_ problem.

 

Tooru next to him was a total mess. His hair was standing out in every direction possible, his pants were half open and his neck was covered in big, bright hickeys. Hajime figured he didn’t look any different, except for the opened pants.

 

“Ehm...” Hajime cleared his throat. “Yeah. Yeah, we’re taking it. Yes.” He managed to say in a rough and rather scratchy sounding voice. “I’m sorry for the incident.” He added, realizing his mistake in not saying it beforehand and bending down in apology.

 

He wanted to be out there as soon as possible and get back to one of their apartments to proceed exactly where their had stopped.

 

As he was signing the contract he didn’t notice the lewd smile tugging at Tooru’s lips. He couldn’t wait to properly celebrating the signing in this exact room.

 

__

 

As Hajime soon found out, finding the perfect apartment for them wasn’t the only problem.

 

Decorating their new home was one too, apparently.

 

One day, when Hajime came home from work, tired and ready to spend his evening just cuddling with Tooru on their couch in their new apartment, he found his boyfriend sitting on the floor in the living room, posters were scattered everywhere around him.

 

Hajime put his bag down. “What are you doing?” He asked, his eyes narrowed suspiciously when he saw the amount of aliens on the posters. He had already an uneasy feeling about this.

 

Tooru turned around, a wide smile on his lips and eyes twinkling brightly. “Yoo-hoo Iwa-chan~ I’m decorating our living room.” He pointed at the plain white walls. “It’s still too empty in here. An apartment needs personality, too.” He beamed.

 

“And how many of them do you want to put up exactly?” Hajime asked while he walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water. When he reentered the living room Tooru looked thoughtfully at the floor.

 

“Hmm… I don’t now yet. Maybe all of them? There aren’t many posters anyway.”

 

Hajime nearly choked on his water. “What?” He pointed at the amount of posters on the floor. “There have to be like 30 of them! That’s supposed to be not much?”

 

Tooru looked him dead in the eyes. “There are 32. And that’s not much. Back in high school there were like 50 posters on my wall.” He paused. “And on the ceiling.”

 

Hajime shook his head determinedly. “No. We’re not plastering our living room with thousands of alien posters, Shittykawa.”

 

Tooru stood up and put his hands on his hips. “There are not thousands, there are 32. That’s not thousand, Iwa-chan.”

 

Hajime waved him off with his hand. “Whatever, there is no way that we’re putting all of them on that wall.”

 

Now Tooru pouted. “But you have your Godzilla poster in the hallway! I want my posters, too. It’s not fair.” He sulked. “You’re so mean.”

 

“That’s one poster, not 30.”

 

Offended, Tooru crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked seriously aggrieved.

 

With a sigh Hajime put his glass on the small table next to their couch and moved around it to stand in front of his pouting boyfriend. He grabbed his hand and slowly began stroking it.

 

“Listen, I’m not saying you’re not allowed to put them on the walls, just please don’t use all of them?” He asked more than he said it. His voice was soothing and soft, he didn’t want to offend Tooru even more.

 

The tall brunet seemed to ease up a bit. He moved his fingers to intertwine them with Hajime’s.

 

“Fine.” He said. “How many am I allowed to put up?”

 

Thoughtfully, Hajime looked around in their living room, estimating of how much space could be plastered with alien related stuff.

 

“Hmm…maybe seven? Or something like that, I guess.”

 

When he looked back at his boyfriend he was greeted with wide open eyes.

 

“Seven?!” Tooru cried. “But that’s like nothing!”

 

“Huh? We’re having not that much space on the walls, you know that?” Hajime argued.

 

“That’s what ceilings are for, Iwa-chan~”

 

The shorter one shook his head in refusal. “Ok.” He put his hands up yieldingly. “Do whatever you want. Put them all up, I don’t care. But I swear, if you put anything, really _anything_ that isn’t paint on our ceiling, I’m going to deck you.”

 

Tooru’s eyes lit up and he stopped sulking, immediately. “Oh, I _promise_ you I won’t do that. Thank you, Iwa-chan~ I knew you love me.” He pressed a quick kiss on his shorter boyfriend’s cheek and bounced away towards his posters.

 

“Yeah, yeah, I love you.” Hajime muttered under his breath. “And I still don’t know why.”

 

Despite his words a small loving smile tugged on his lips. He went to the kitchen to make them something to eat and when he reentered the living room once again to get Tooru to dinner, he noticed the amount of posters on their walls.

 

“How many are there now?” He asked in defeat.

 

Tooru just laughed. “Oh, I don’t know, 17 or something like that.” He turned around to watch his boyfriend.

 

“You like it?” There was something in his voice that only could be described as precarious. Hajime saw him nervously fiddling with his fingers. He obviously deeply cared about Hajime’s opinion.

 

“It’s nicer than I’d imagined.” He grumbled and stepped closer to his boyfriend. His voice didn’t sound impressed, but Tooru could see the admiration in Hajime’s gaze when he looked at the arrangement of the posters. It seemed to be mixed together but at the same time the whole display looked also elaborated. Hajime couldn’t help to be impressed. When Tooru’s volleyball career is over someday he would be a perfect interior decorator.

 

Tooru winked. “I knew you’d like it. I know you quite well, you know?”

 

Hajime nudged his shoulder with his own. “Yeah, I remember something about you saying being able to read minds.” He looked into his eyes, raising an eyebrow. “What am I thinking right now?”

 

Tooru leaned into the touch and put his hands on the other man’s shoulders. “ _Oh_ _dear lord_ _, how am I worthy enough to call this beautiful, talented and utterly gorgeous man my boyfriend?_ _I want to make love to him this instant!”_ He mocked him with a terrible imitation of Hajime’s voice.

 

“Wrong.” Hajime deadpanned. “I want you to come to the kitchen to eat.” He turned Tooru towards the kitchen and softly nudged his back. “Alley-oop!”

 

Before Tooru could complain about how mean Iwa-chan was, the same Iwa-chan had slapped his ass, causing him to jump in surprise.

 

“If you’re eating fast maybe one thing about your mind-reading will become true, who knows?” He offered, a lewd smile on his lips.

 

Tooru giggled in excitement. “Lewd Iwa-chan. I like that~”

 

Later that night, Hajime laid in their bed, thoroughly exhausted and pleased. Tooru was in the bathroom and the bedroom light was still on. Hajime’s gaze was fixed on the ceiling, his mind still full with low moans, high-pitched screams of pleasure and breath-hitched mumbled _Iwa-chan_ ’s, when he noticed something strange on their bedroom ceiling. It looked like paint or something. Slowly, he stood up to turn off the light.

 

_No fucking way._

 

The ir ceiling was littered with bright glowing stars. 

 

“SHITTYKAWA!” He yelled.

 

The only thing he got as a reply was Tooru’s bubbling laughter as he tried not to drown in the shower due to his laughing fit.

 

__

 

When Tooru first entered the stadium where he would play volleyball for the foreseeable future, he was overwhelmed of how _huge_ it was. He was accustomed to both the big gym in Aoba Johsai and the gym in their college, but this stadium was on a whole different level. There were at least ten thousands of seats arranged around the court and the ceiling was higher than Tooru could have imagined.

 

It was his first day of practice as a professional and he had been so afraid of failing that Hajime had been forced to drag him to this stadium pulling him by his ears. Literally.

 

They had just separated a few minutes ago and Tooru already missed him.

 

“Hey, listen to me.” Hajime had said while looking deep into Tooru’s deep brown eyes. “You’re going to rock hit, you hear me? I believe in you. So just get in there and show them who’s the big boss there.”

 

Tooru had laughed miserably. “Hah, that’s easier said than done.”

 

“Bullshit. You’re good. You’re excellent!” His shorter boyfriend had assured him. “I know that, you know that and they know that, too. Otherwise they wouldn’t have scouted you, right?” He smiled reassuringly, hoping to ease the taller one up, at least a bit.

 

“But what if they had made a mistake? What is, if they see me right next to Ushiwaka and that shit of Tobio-chan and decide that I’m terrible in comparison to them?” It was unusual for Tooru to be this self-conscious. It had made Hajime’s heart clench, seeing his stubborn and strong-minded boyfriend this intimidated.

 

He had took a step closer and his hand were on Tooru’s warm cheeks, gently stroking the soft skin.

 

“Then show them that you’re worth it playing beside them. Besides, I’ve seen you play against Kageyama and I’ve seen you play at Ushijima’s side. You _are_ worth it and I’m gonna scream it from the rooftops for the whole world to hear if you want.” He kissed Tooru softly on the lips.

 

“You are worth to stand on that court, playing against the best of the best, because you _are_ the best of the best. Hell, you’re destined to stand there.” Another little peck on the lips. “And now go in there, play like there’s no tomorrow and if someone’s criticizing you with no reason...” He had shrugged and suddenly began laughing. “...then just hit them in the back of their heads with your killer serve. Unintentionally, of course.” He had added with a wink.

 

Tooru had laughed at that, too. “You’re such a brute, Iwa-chan.” He had leaned in closer to hug his buff boyfriend tightly. “Thank you, Iwa-chan. You always know the right things to say.” He whispered against his dark hair.

 

“Well, maybe I’m the one reading minds.” Hajime whispered back with an amused voice.

 

Tooru had took a step back to hit him on the shoulder, but his expression was clearly cheerful again.

 

“Why are you always so mean to me, Iwa-chan? Will you ever live it down?”

 

“No way in hell.” Hajime grinned.

 

With a feigned pout Tooru had looked down at his wrist. “Ok, I have to go now. Wish me luck.”

 

“I wish you all the luck in the world.” Hajime said sincerely and had pulled Tooru closer by his collar. He kissed him one last time, long, sweet and loving. “I love you.” He mumbled against the taller one’s lips when they parted.

 

“I love you, too.” Tooru had whispered back, smiling. Then they separated and Tooru went towards the stadium. “See you tonight, Iwa-chan.” He had said, waving.

 

“Show them the best Oikawa Tooru, baby! See you.” Hajime had screamed back, already on his bike to drive to his own work.

 

Now Tooru stood in the middle of the court, waiting for practice to begin and wondering, how on earth he should manage to not choke on the pressure put upon him.

 

He didn’t have to wait long until the first players entered the gym. The first were Ushiwaka and Tooru successfully managed to not have to talk to him. Ushiwaka had been on the team since their first year of college and Tooru really didn’t need some advice of how to excel on the international court. Well, he needed advice, but surely not from Ushiwaka.

 

And certainly not from Kageyama who entered the gym next. But Tooru didn’t need to worry about having to talk to his former kouhai as the latter was obviously distracted by the little shrimp beside him, that was bubbling and jumping around him. Kageyama didn’t even noticed Tooru until the coach, Satoo Ryotaro, entered the gym, too.

 

By the time the couch entered the gym, it was already filled with other players. One of them Tooru recognized as the enormous Date Tech player they had called the _Iron Wall_. He was one of the newbies, just like Tooru himself.

 

“All right, are we complete?” Satoo let his gaze wander over the team.

 

His assistant coach, Yamashita Naoto, shook his head. “Kuroo and Bokuto aren’t here. Again.”

 

Satoo groaned. “I swear to god, if they’re late one more time I’m gonna throw them out of here faster than Bokuto could get into his weird emo-mode. Seriously, what’s wrong with that guy?”

 

“Everyone keep telling me it’s because his black haired friend from high school isn’t playing anymore at his side.” Yamashita said, shrugging his shoulders.

 

“Is that guy any good? Anything that causes Bokuto to stop with that strange antics has to be good.”

 

“I don’t know much about that other guy, but maybe we cou-” Yamashita was interrupted by that orange haired shrimp.

 

“You’re talking about Akaashi?!” He screamed.

 

“Oi, shut up, dumbass.” Kageyama scolded him. But his friend had no intentions to stop.

 

“Akaashi’s brilliant! He’s a genius setter! Please scout him!” He was bubbling like a maniac, jumping up and down on his spot on the floor.

 

“We already have enough setter, though.” Another player said, one Tooru didn’t knew the name of.

 

Satoo clapped his hands to regain their attention. “Whatever guys. Warm up until these two morons finally decide to show up here…”

 

In that exact moment the doors were slammed open and the morons in question barged in the gym.

 

“Sorry, coach. Traffic was terrible.” The one with the ridiculous gray and black hair, Bokuto Koutarou, said breathlessly. The other one, Kuroo Tetsurou, Tooru remembered him from seeing some Nekoma matches, shot him a glance. “Dude.”

 

“Bokuto, I know you’re living in the next street.” Satoo deadpanned, his arms crossed.

 

Bokuto looked at Kuroo, seeking help. “Yeah, eh, well...”

 

Kuroo smirked, having no intention in helping him. “That idiot totally forgot about practice because he was hitting up with h-”

 

“Bro, why do you betray me?” Bokuto asked in utter disbelief. Kuroo just snickered.

 

Satoo waved them off. “Guys, stop it. Go change and then both of you run 70 laps.”

 

They eyes grew wide in utter shock. “But coach-”

 

“Nothing _but_ _coach_. Go.”

 

With heads hanging low they trotted towards the locker rooms. Kuroo hissed something, but all that was intelligible was some snatches of _your fault_ followed with the name _Akaashi_ in conjunction with _couldn’t control yourself again_.

 

“Great, now that everybody’s finally here – welcome back.” Satoo began. “I sure hope for you that no one was slacking down. If you do, well, have much fun on the bench, then.” His gaze found some yet unknown faces.

 

“Oh yeah, welcome to the new ones here. There are some rules. First – don’t come late. It’s straining enough that two starters are always coming in late, so just don’t follow their lead, got it? Great. Second – don’t hit on each other. If I see someone constantly bickering with the others, he’s never going to get back into that gym. Third – I expect you to give your best, no matter what’s happening in your personal life. That doesn’t have to do anything in here.” He nodded affirmatively.

 

“So, now that that’s cleared – warm up already.”

 

It doesn’t take long after the coach's speak to cause that shrimp to scream again.

 

“It’s the Grand King! Kageyama, _look_!” His little fist pointed in Tooru’s direction, who felt like everyone was watching him, now.

 

“Hinata!” Coach yelled. “Stop screaming and warm up already.”

 

Hinata looked sheepishly. “Yes, coach!”

 

After warm up practice started and soon Tooru realized that he had worried for no reason. Volleyball was in his veins, after all and the years of training and pushing himself to the brink of exhaustion really paid off. His level wasn’t any less good than that of the longstanding players.

 

That night he went to Hajime’s apartment to crash there. His own apartment had been closer, but he wanted to tell his boyfriend everything about his first day as a professional volleyball player. Even more he wanted to do nothing else than just cuddling on their couch, watching some trashy movie and having Hajime near him. It had been an exhausting day, but it was a good exhaustion and he was more than excited for the next years to come.

 

__

 

Over the years Tooru climbed up the greasy pole. He had started as a substitute and quickly became the pinch server. But as soon as their coach noticed his true potential as an all around player, Tooru was allowed to play several positions. His official position was still the setter, but in the first months he played on every position he could. He wanted to play and being the second setter was getting on his nerves. More times than not he complained about that when he talked with Hajime about their jobs, but he strictly followed the rules and didn’t get in any fights with both Kageyama and Ushiwaka. He just ignored them as much as possible.

 

After two years of playing on the team something bad happened. Not for him, but for Kageyama.

 

In an important match against France the setter injured his shoulder during a failed block. One of the newbies wanted to block for himself and jumped forward to reach it. But he miscalculated his force and jumped _at_ Kageyama instead of next to him, causing him to fall on the ground.

 

He landed on his shoulder, which ruptured due to the impact on the hard gym floor. At first everyone thought that it was just a minor injury and that Kageyama would be able to play again in a few weeks.

 

But a doctor destroyed their hopes in a matter of seconds. His diagnosis: Kageyama’s shoulder was fractured in a way, that would in fact heal again, but his ripped tendons and ligaments would never regain their old structure. Which meant, that Kageyama would never be able to play volleyball again. At least not on an international level.

 

Despite Kageyama’s retirement against his will signifying Tooru’s promotion as a setter, the latter felt seriously bad for his former kouhai. Over the last two years their relationship had steadily increased, they still weren’t friends, but at least Tooru hadn’t had the desire to rip the others throat out every time they saw each other.

 

“That shows that you in fact _have_ a heart.” Hajime told him when Tooru just wouldn’t stop complaining about these weird feelings towards the former first setter. “Against all expectations.”

 

“But it’s so weird!” Tooru whined. “I mean, I’m finally able to play on that position I love and now I’m feeling guilty about being promoted? It’s like my brains telling me that I only became the first setter because of Kageyama’s retirement.” He wrinkled his nose. “Wait, that’s the truth, actually. I’m only allowed to be first for that _exact reason_.”

 

“Well, but now you have what you want, didn’t you?” Hajime asked carefully.

 

Tooru puffed up his cheeks in frustration. “No, I didn’t. I wanted to became the first player because of my _skills_ and not of some _injury_. It feels like I’m only worth it, if the actual player couldn’t possibly play any further.”

 

Hajime put one arm around his shoulder and pulled him closer. “Sometimes life doesn’t play along like we want it to. Well, maybe you get the part because Kageyama’s out, but didn’t the coach himself just said only last month that he’s considering letting both of you play alternating? To get as much as power out of his team as possible? And that this was the only way to get it, because he couldn’t let you two play at the same time?” He tried to cheer up his crestfallen boyfriend.

 

“Yeah, maybe he has said that.” Tooru mumbled against Hajime’s shoulder.

 

The shorter man shook his head. “No, I’m sure he had said that.” He laughed quietly against Tooru’s soft hair, pressing a kiss on top of his head. “I remember that evening as if it had happened yesterday. You stormed into our apartment, throwing your bag away and screaming my name like a maniac. I remember how happy you were about what the coach had said. That he wanted to find a way how you and Kageyama could play the equally amount of time.”

 

Tooru pressed further into Hajime’s embrace, breathing in his scent and relishing in the warmth radiating from his body.

 

“You’re good, Tooru, and your coach realized that. So yeah, it’s a terrible shame that Kageyama can’t play any longer, because he was awesome-” Tooru hit him lightly in mock offense. “Hey, I’m saying he’s awesome, because he is. I’m not saying you’re not, because you are too. Hell, when I see you play I can barelykeep my shit together… ehm. Yeah. What I’d wanted to say? Oh yes. What I want to say is, that you finally have the chance to show your whole potential now. To everyone out there.” He hugged him tightly. “Just remember – it doesn’t really matter how you got that promotion. You did and you will excel all expectations.”

 

He nudged his shoulder teasingly. “And now I want my bragging and overly proud Shittykawa back. That nice Tooru, that’s mourning after Kageyama and suddenly grows a heart, creeps me out.”

 

“Maybe I need to be that Tooru for the rest of my life.” Tooru suggested with a dangerous smirk. “Maybe Iwa-chan will finally be nice to me then instead of making fun of me all the time.”

 

“Mean, Oika-chan. So mean.”

 

“Shut up, Shittyzumi.”

 

Both started laughing and weren’t able to stop for a long time. There was now way there would ever steal the others trademark again.

 

__

 

A few months after Kageyama’s retirement the team had to mourn the next injury. It seemed like the team had really bad luck concerning the health of their setters.

 

When Tooru had injured his knee during the world championship in a game against Australia Hajime had sat right at the sidelines and had to watch his boyfriend’s crash with the gym floor at close range.

 

It happened just a few minutes after Hinata had been hit square in the face with a volleyball and his nose just hadn’t wanted to stop bleeding. He was still outside the court, the team doctor currently doctoring his cracked nose when the next accident occurred. When Hinata’s nose refused to stop bleeding the doctor left the gym with the little middle blocker. He was gone only for a few minutes, but that was obviously enough for Tooru’s misfortune to strike.

 

Tooru was in charge of serving. He stood on the end of the court, spinning the ball in his hands, feeling the rush of adrenaline pumping through his veins. He would never get sick of the feeling right before a serve, when everyone was looking at you. It was intoxicating.

 

Before he threw the ball up in the air, Tooru looked towards the grand stand where he found Hajime cheering for him immediately. It was his little ritual to look at his boyfriend every time he was about to serve. Something about the look on his face made him feel like he could archive anything he ever wanted. Hajime’s reassuring smile always gave him strength to serve in a way everyone called the killer serve.

 

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and then threw the ball up in the air. Everything around him seemed to slow down until there was only himself and the ball, waiting to be served with that incredible force Tooru had already perfected back then in high school.

 

He build up the moment to jump as high as he could, his hand reaching for the ball, hitting it with a loud thud and sending it over the net.

 

Seconds later he laid on the ground. His knee felt like it was ablaze, hot and sharp pain ran threw his leg, leaving him laying on the gym floor, face twisted in pain and his hands desperately gripping at his knee, desperately trying to make it stop _burning_.

 

Hajime had witnessed it all at close range.

 

When Tooru had threw up that ball, ready to serve, Hajime had held his breath, thoroughly caught up in the display of Tooru’s killer serve. He had unconsciously leaned forward in anticipation, he hadn’t want to loose a single second of Tooru doing one of the things he loved most in his life.

 

When the tall setter had hit the ball with such brute force that it flew over the net like a bullet, he breathed again and wanted to lean back. That was when he saw Tooru landing again, but somehow his right leg hit the floor in a wrong angle. He saw it bending underneath his boyfriend’s body, saw his knee twisting unnaturally. The moment Tooru’s body hit the floor Hajime had jumped up already to get to the court as quickly as possible.

 

Even though he wasn’t the official sports therapist for the national team he sometimes helped out, when the assistant doctor was prevented otherwise. And in a moment like this, when even the main doctor wasn’t available because he was already patching up another player Hajime was the one in charge for doctoring possible other injuries.

 

It was the first time, though, that he needed to deputize for the doctor and having to patch up Tooru of all people wasn’t what he had in mind when he agreed to that part-time employment.

 

In a matter of seconds Hajime had grabbed the auxiliary first aid kid and then he was at Tooru’s side, kneeing beside him and inspecting his injured knee.

 

It was twisted in a strange angle, throbbing and swelling steadily.

 

“Tooru” Hajime said urgently, trying to get his attention.

 

“It burns.” Tooru pressed out between gritted teeth. “It hurts so much. Please make it stop _burning_ , Iwa.” He pleaded, voice hoarse and racked with pain.

 

“I’m trying, Tooru. You have to relax now. Take deep breaths, okay?”

 

“I can’t. It hurts so _much_.”

 

Hajime couldn’t take the pain in Tooru’s voice. He called out to some other back up players that stood beside them to get a stretcher. While they waited Hajime had propped up Tooru’s leg on the aid kit and was now cooling his injury. Tooru whined quietly, he didn’t want to make such a fuss in a little knee injury, even it was burning like hell.

 

At the sidelines their new back up setter, Akaashi Keiji, was already warming up to get in place of Tooru.

 

When the other players finally get back with the stretcher they carefully heaved the injured setter on it and carried him out of the gym and into an empty room.

 

With increasing worry Hajime noticed, that the swelling on Tooru’s knee still hadn’t ceased.

 

That was bad. Seriously bad.

 

He crouched down besides Tooru again, slowly and carefully feeling up his knee. The setter hissed in pain and Hajime withdrew his hand.

 

“Okay, Tooru, that doesn’t look good at all. I’ll give you some pain killers and then we have to go.”

 

He turned towards the two players who helped him carrying Tooru.

 

“Semi, please call the ambulance. Furono, tell the coach we’re on our way to the next hospital. Tooru needs help I can’t give him here.”

 

They nodded and did as they was told.

 

Tooru weakly grabbed Hajime’s hand, the latter squeezing it tightly. “Hospital? But I want to play, I _need_ to play. I can’t be in hospital.”

 

Hajime’s stroked a lost lock out of the brunette’s face. “I’m afraid you can’t play in the near future. Your knee is seriously injured and I doubt it’s only a simple cruciate rupture. If it would be one, your knee wouldn’t be throbbing anymore.” He sighed deeply. “You need to get to the hospital or else it might be that you wouldn’t be able to play for the rest of your life.”

 

Tooru began sobbing hearing that. The pain inside of him was a mixture of the burning injury, the burning in his stomach for being so dumb to land that bad and the burning in his chest for maybe losing the sport he had loved for his entire life.

 

When the paramedics arrived they carried Tooru in the ambulance. Hajime briefly explained what had happened, also telling them his assumption about the extent of his injury. He was allowed to sit next to him the whole ride, holding his hand and somehow trying to sooth his pained boyfriend.

 

After a few minutes they arrived the ER, where some doctors were already waiting. They examined his knee and came to an even more serious diagnosis. When Hajime had thought the setter had only ruptured his cruciate _really_ bad, it was in fact not only a ruptured cruciate, but also a torn lateral ligament. And if that hadn’t already been enough he additionally snapped his patella.

 

The doctors decided that in Tooru’s case it would be best to operate his knee. With that the chance was higher, that he could play volleyball again. When Tooru was asked how he wanted it to be cured he hurriedly pressed out the word _surgery_.

 

Quickly he was brought into the next free surgery while Hajime had to wait outside.

 

He studied medicine, for fuck’s sake, but that still couldn’t stop him from worrying.

 

_What’s if there are complications? There could go anything wrong, even at a rather simple surgery like that._

 

With his hands deep buried in his hair he walked the hallway up and down. Sat down, anxiously biting his lip. Stood up again, continuing his tensed walking. His hands were in his hair again, tugging at the looks to divert his thoughts on the slight pain on his scalp. He leaned against a wall only to push back and sitting down again.

 

He waited for hours. Or at least it felt like hours.

 

When the doors of the surgery finally opened he jumped up from his seat and approached the young doctor in a few long steps.

 

“How’s he? Will he be ok? Please tell me he’s ok!” He fired questions at him.

 

The doctor looked at him in confusion.

 

“Who are you talking about? There are several surgeries going on in there.”

 

“Oikawa Tooru. The one with the knee injury.” Hajime asked, hoping that this doctor would know something about the setter.

 

The doctor’s eyes went wide. “Ah, that one volleyball player with that killer serve? I saw him some time last week on TV. He’s injured?”

 

Hajime groaned in frustration. “Yeah, it happened one and a half hours ago. He’s in there for an hour now. Listen, is there anyone I can ask for him? I need to know what’s going on in there.” He asked almost pleadingly.

 

His counterpart shook his head in negation. “I’m afraid there isn’t anyone. But a knee surgery usually doesn’t take long, so I think they have to finish every minute now.”

 

With that the young doctor bid his goodbye.

 

And once again Hajime had to wait, but this time he didn’t have to wait that long until the next doctor exited the surgery rooms.

 

He looked around for other people in the hallway but there were only Hajime. The doctor, way older then the last one, approached him with a serious expression.

 

“You came with Oikawa Tooru?” He asked.

 

Hajime nodded, his heart was racing way to fast in his chest. Suddenly he was terrified of what he might here in the next minutes. “Yeah, I’m Iwaizumi Hajime.”

 

“Related to Oikawa?” The doctor asked again, tersely.

 

“I’m his boyfriend.”

 

The older doctor nodded. “All right. Listen, Iwaizumi-san. The surgery went well, but that is a serious injury Oikawa got there. It will take months for it to heal properly and then he has to partake in sports therapy to make sure that he could play volleyball again. When he doesn’t strain his knee there’s a really good chance that he’ll be able to play again in about one and a half years, I guess. Until then he isn’t allowed to do any sort of sports and he has to rest his knee constantly. If he doesn’t do as he was told he risks ruining his career.”

 

The pressure in Hajime’s chest vanished and he sighed in relief. Well, Tooru had to pause for more than a year but it was thousand times better than don’t being able to play at all anymore. He wouldn’t be pleased about it, but he had to accept it to save his career.

 

“Thank you. I’ll tell him that.” He bowed his thanks.

 

The doctor smiled a bit at Hajime’s audible relieved voice. “You can visit him if you want. Just ask at the reception for the room.”

 

Once again Hajime thanked him and walked back towards the reception. There sat a nurse, boredly trying to solve a crossword.

 

“Excuse me, can you tell me the room of Oikawa Tooru, please?” He asked nicely.

 

“Wait.” She answered, loudly chewing on a gum. The smacking chewing noises made him feel slightly sick. He just couldn’t stand munching people.

 

“Room 409.” She watched him boredly, waiting for him to go away.

 

“Thank you.” He wanted to go, but he had to do one last thing. “ _A clotting cell_? That’s a thrombocyte.” He added with a smirk and then went towards the elevator to find Tooru’s room.

 

“Hey, I would’ve known that myself, thanks for nothing.” He heard the nurse’s scream behind him.

 

_Of course you would. Just like you knew that_ i ncision or cut into a nerve  _definitely wouldn’t be_ neurotomy _but instead a_ nephrosis _. Of course you would have known that._

 

Sometimes it was fun to be Mr. Know-It-All.

 

After a few minutes of searching he found Tooru’s room and knocked.

 

While he had waited for the setter’s surgery to be over he had called Tooru’s parents to tell them about his injury. They had assured him that they would come as quickly as possible.

 

“Come in.” Hajime heard a voice from behind the door. He entered and the moment he closed the door again and turned around again, his eyes laid on Tooru’s still sleeping figure, almost completely covered with a thin blanket, except for his face and his right leg, which was propped up.

 

Hana and Masaru said beside his bed and had turned their heads towards Hajime when he had entered.

 

“Hello, Hajime, dear.” Hana greeted him in a quite voice, then she pointed at her son. “He’s still sleeping, as you see, but one doctor said he will wake up in the next hour or something.”

 

Hajime nodded and pushed an empty chair next to his boyfriend’s bed. He took one of his hands and slowly began stroking it.

 

“It was terrible to watch him fall like that.” In his head, Tooru’s pained whining replayed in his head. Hajime shook his head to dispel the awful memories.

 

“What happened exactly, anyway?” Masaru asked. “You only said something about an accident on the court?”

 

The dark brunet reluctantly began explaining about the last hours. It was getting on his nerves to let the events replay in his mind, but Tooru’s parents had a right to know about her son’s accident.

 

Some time after he finished, Hajime felt a light tugging on his hand. Tooru’s fingers were clutching tighter on Hajime’s, his eye lids slowly fluttered open.

 

“Wha- … ngh … where-” Tooru stammered in a hoarse and incredibly quiet voice. His eyes tried to accommodate to the light, they were readjusting to be able to see anything at all.

 

Hajime leaned forward in his chair. “Hey, Tooru.” He smiled, tightening his grip around Tooru’s fingers to signalize him that he was at his side.

 

“Haji-” The injured man croaked out. “It doesn’t burn anymore, Hajime.” He blinked and a small, tired smile appeared on his lips. “You made it go away.”

 

Tooru obviously remembered, what had happened. That was good. It means, he didn’t suffer from temporary memory loss.

 

“That were the doctors who made it go away, Tooru-baby.” Hana said, her relief, that her son was seemingly feeling better, was clearly audible in her voice.

 

“No.” The brunette slightly shook his head in refusal. “It was my Iwa-chan.”

 

Relieved laughter filled the room.

 

After a few more minutes Tooru was more awake and noticed more of the things around him. His parents talked to him for a while until they decided it was time to go.

 

“Well” Masura began. “I think it’s time to let you guys have a bit time for yourself, isn’t it?”

 

Hana nodded in approval. “We’re coming back tomorrow, Tooru. Don’t stay up for too long, you need rest.”

 

“I’m taking care of him, don’t worry.” Hajime promised them.

 

“Thank you, Hajime. Until tomorrow, then.” Tooru’s parents bid their goodbyes. “Get well.”

 

When they were gone Tooru asked the shorter one the most important question.

 

“Iwa-chan.” He began with a slightly shaking voice. He was afraid of the answer he might get. “Will I be able to play volleyball again?”

 

Hajime squeezed his hand reassuringly. “Yes, you will.”

 

“Thank god!” The setter breathed out, relief visible in his whole expression.

 

With that Hajime began telling him about the things the doctor had said to him. Tooru doesn’t seemed pleased, but apparently his attitude towards ignoring doctors orders had seemed to vanish since high school.

 

“That sucks.” He complained. “But I guess there’s no alternative, right?” He smiled gloomily.

 

“No, I’m afraid there isn’t.” His boyfriend confirmed his conjuncture.

 

“Well, then that’s just the way it is.” The brunettes voice was audibly crestfallen.

 

“I kinda would’ve thought you would make more of a fuss about it?”

 

Tooru laughed. “Hah, normally I would, that’s true. But as I told you at some point I already injured my knee during high school, but I ignored the warnings of the doc and nearly destroyed my dreams of going pro some day. Since then my attitude towards medical orders changed a bit.” 

 

H ajime’s eyes went big in mock shock. “Who would’ve guessed that even you could grow up some day? I’m shook.” 

 

“Oh stop, Iwa-chan. That’s not funny anymore.” Tooru complained, but he was laughing anyway.

 

For a while they just sat there in complete silence, only watching each other. When they were together there could pass hours without anyone of them getting bored.

 

“We can handle that, right?” Tooru broke the silence after a while. “With my injury and such.”

 

“Of course we can. There isn’t a thing we couldn’t handle by now.”

 

Tooru smirked. “How appreciating that I have a sports therapist by my side. And a hot one, too.” He added with a wink.

 

The sports therapist in question shrugged his shoulders. “What can I say? Finally, I’m  making myself useful in this relationship.” 

 

“You won’t guess, but I think you’re useful for a lot of things in this relationship.” The taller brunette smirked mischievously. 

 

“Oh, like what?” Hajime played along.

 

“Hmm … let me thought about it for a minute … ah, I know! You’re carrying the bottles of water upstairs. That’s quite useful, I guess?”

 

Hajime laughed. “Well, that’s true.” He leaned forward to tenderly kiss the injured man.

 

“I’m so happy you’re well.” Hajime quietly said against Tooru’s lips, they gazes tangled. “It was horrible to watch you this pained and I never want to see it again, you hear me? Never get injured again.”

 

“Believe me, I don’t ever want to, again. That pain was enough to last for a lifetime.” He mumbled.

“And now kiss me again, please. Maybe I decide you’re useful for other things, too.”

 

Hajime smirked. “Gladly.” He breathed before leaning back into Tooru’s soft touch.

 

__

 

A year and two months later, Tooru was able to practice again. He still wasn’t allowed to partake in official games or in games in general, but the doctor had given him the permission to practice at least.

 

It was a relief to finally being allowed to play again, to feel the ball against his palms and the rush of adrenaline when he jumped up. His serve had only suffered a bit in the long time Tooru wasn’t allowed to jump, but that was nothing that couldn’t be fixed in the next three months until his first official game.

 

In the year he was forced to watch the games from the grand stand, a lot had happened concerning the team.

 

The biggest shift would possibly be Bokuto’s and Akaashi’s retirement. They would quit when Tooru was able to play again, because else they wouldn’t be a setter to take the spot. Tooru had been shocked when he had first heard of their plans. Both had decided to relish their not-so-shocking relationship in peace and away from the radar of the paparazzi.

 

Although their wasn’t a single person on this planet who thought that Bokuto Koutarou out of all people would possibly be able to live a life in quiet and piece. Not even Akaashi had seemed convinced.

 

When Tooru had been discharged of the hospital and started rehab he also had been able to watch the volleyball finals, Japan against Belgium, and Japan had crushed them in a thrilling match. Tooru had felt really envious that he hadn’t been the one standing out there on the court.

 

And then, two months before Tooru was allowed to play official matches again, there was a change in the staff. The team doctor was old enough to retire and therefore, the team needed a new doctor.

 

The moment Tooru heard about the news he called the coach immediately.

 

“Satoo, here.” He received the call in a gruff voice.

 

“Hey, couch, here’s Oikawa. I heard you’re searching for a new doc?” Tooru was so excited that his voice was shaking slightly.

 

“Yeah? What about it? I’ve already decided on-”

 

_No!_

 

“No, please coach, don’t decide yet.” Tooru interrupted him rudely. “I have the perfect applicant for you!”

 

“Hey, stop interrupting me!” Satoo buffed. After a little pause and because Tooru just wouldn’t stop bubbling about this perfect applicant, he sighed in defeat.

 

“All right, who is this perfect applicant then?” He asked annoyed.

 

“Iwaizumi!” Tooru nearly screamed into the phone.

 

To his surprise Satoo began laughing. “Oh, yeah, Iwaizumi, hmm? You want your little boyfriend to be the next team doc?” He didn’t stop laughing and it was making Tooru quite nervous. “Should I tell you my choice in our new doctor?”

 

“Eh...yeah?”

 

“It’s Iwaizumi.” He stated. “Do you really thought I would let some run-of-the-mill guy be our new doc when I had _the_ perfect applicant already at call?”

 

Tooru scratched his cheek. “Oh, I wouldn’t have thought that...” He trailed down, not knowing what he wanted to say, anyway.

 

“What, have you thought I’m stupid enough to let Iwa slip away?”

 

“No, no! Of course not!” Tooru quickly defended himself.

 

“Well, whatever.” Satoo waved him off. “I’ll leave it to you to tell him the big news. Get well soon, I kind of miss my best setter.”

 

Tooru’s eyes went wide. Never had Satoo directly complimented him. He couldn’t imagine a better praise. “T-thank you, coach! I’m able to play in two months. And of course I’ll tell him.”

 

“Great, have a good day, then. I have to coach that bunch of idiots now.” Satoo bid his goodbyes.

 

“Goodbye, Satoo-san.” Tooru answered but his coach had already ended the call.

 

That afternoon when Hajime returned from work he had hardly entered their apartment before Tooru already threw himself in his boyfriend’s arms.

 

Hajime dropped his back, which landed on the floor with a loud thud, before he wrapped his arms around the taller man’s torso. “Woah, woah, Tooru. Slow down.” He said, eyes widened in surprise.

 

“But I have great news for you!” Tooru beamed at him, grabbing his hand and leading him towards the living room, where he had prepared two glasses of champagne beforehand.

 

Hajime eyed the alcohol suspiciously. “What’s up? Are you pregnant? Because if you are you wouldn’t be allowed to drink alcohol, you know that, right?”

 

Tooru hit him on the shoulder. “Don’t be ridiculous! I think you studied medicine? And by now you should have noticed that I’m a man.”

 

“Oh yeah, I noticed.” Hajime mumbled under his breath.

 

“Anyways, no, I’m _not_ pregnant, what the fuck? No. Much better.” He announced, shoving one glass in Hajime’s direction.

 

“That would be?” Hajime accepted the glass. Usually, champagne wasn’t the alcohol he fancied, but he guessed if it really was something special Tooru had to say him, champagne would be the better choice to celebrate with than a simple and boring bottle of beer.

 

“I’ve got a job for you!”

 

“What?!” Hajime thought he hadn’t heard right. He had searched for months now for a new employment, but no doctor’s office was looking for new employees at the moment. “Where?”

 

Tooru jumped up in excitement, nearly spilling his champagne in the action. “That’s the best – you’re becoming the next official doctor for the Japanese volleyball team!”

 

The shorter man couldn’t believe it.

 

_That has to be a dream!_

 

“You have to be kidding me. Really?!”

 

“Yeah! Hanabashi is retiring in three months and I called Satoo to suggest you for the job but he just had laughed and asked me why in hell he should take another guy when he already had _the_ _perfect applicant already at call_ with you as our current part-time assistant? That were his exact words.”

 

As quickly as he could without spilling the alcohol, Hajime put the glass down on the table and hugged Tooru tightly, spinning him in circles. Tooru’s giggles filled the room.

 

“Oh god, this is perfect!” The new official team doctor said.

 

“Now where never going to separate for real anymore.” Tooru announced happily. “Every time we’re visiting other countries for matches now you’re always coming with us!”

 

Hajime beamed. “I can’t wait for the next championship.”

 

“Me neither. It’s gonna be so great!” Tooru smiled his widest smile. “We’re gonna annoy the shit out of the others.” He chuckled.

 

“That’s worth it.”

 

It really was.

 

__

 

Today was the day Tooru was finally able to play his first official match after one and a half years of waiting. It was a home match against South Korea and they were close before starting their fifth and last set. The Japanese team had given it’s best but in the end they lost two sets by a close shave.

 

Right now Satoo were giving them the prep talk they definitely needed. Exhaustion started to get the better of them and nobody of them had wanted to have to play that long for a qualification game against one of the easier clubs out there.

 

“All right, guys.” Satoo bellowed for his players to hear him over the loud atmosphere in the stadium. “I know you’re exhausted and I know you want to go home, but you have to gather all your strength and all your capabilities one last time to get that fifteen points as quickly as possible. If we win that game we’re in for the Asian championship next year!”

 

He let his eyes wander over the bunch of exhausted players around him. “You’ll rock that! Show those stupid Koreans who’s the boss in here. Show them that you’re not the number one of the world for no reason.” He yelled.

 

They players seemed to regain their strength and their will to win. “Yeah!” They screamed back.

 

“Yes! That’s what I want to hear! And now kill them, guys! Send them right back to their stupid Korea!”

 

Before the set started Hajime had the chance to give Tooru his own little prep talk, too.

 

“Hey, when the game’s over I wanna take you to a really nice place I found some weeks ago.” He told the star setter. “I wanna show you something, so win this thing, yeah?”

 

“And if we lose?” Tooru asked, hoping that Hajime wouldn’t change his mind, if that would be the case. “Would you still show it to me?”

 

Hajime smiled at him. “Of course. If you lose, see it as a solace.” He patted his back.

 

“I love you. And now show them, baby.”

 

Tooru winked at him and subtly touched his hand, before he ran out of the court.

 

After thirty minutes the game was finally over.

 

“YES!!” Satoo bellowed again and again while his players were celebrating on the court. The South Korean players were leaving the court in depression, with that loss they were out of the championship next year.

 

The celebrating quickly shifted towards the locker rooms, but somewhere in the middle Tooru had quietly left the party to meet Hajime outside the stadium. The new team doctor had already left half an hour ago, he had said he wanted to get a few things out of their apartment.

 

When Tooru exited the stadium the warm evening breeze swept over his skin. He looked over the parking lot. After a few minutes he saw Hajime’s car, the owner casually leaning against it. He held a bouquet in his hands and an affectionate smile sneaked on his lips when he saw Tooru approaching him.

 

“What are these flowers for, Iwa-chan?” The setter asked in awe. There were his favorite flowers in there, pink lilies with white accents, bright white gladiolas and little freesia.

 

Before Hajime answered his question, he pulled Tooru towards to kiss him deeply.

 

“Congratulations, Tooru.” He breathed against his boyfriend’s lips. “I’m proud of you. And the flowers? Oh, I don’t really now, I just had a sudden urge to buy you flowers.” He shrugged his shoulders.

 

“My Iwa-chan is so sweet, some times.” Tooru giggled, and took the bouquet to examine it properly. “It’s so beautiful.” He whispered in awe.

 

“Not as beautiful as you” Hajime mumbled almost intelligible, but Tooru had heard him anyways. The shorter one’s ears went pink, immediately when he noticed his boyfriend’s stare. In a swift motion Tooru laid the flowers on the hood and drew Hajime closer.

 

“I love you.” He just couldn’t say it enough times. “I love you, I love you, I love you!” He kissed the shorter man between his confessions but somewhere along the way he just stopped talking and instead began kissing his boyfriend properly.

 

They just stood there for several minutes, forgetting everything around them except for the others gentle touch, until a loud voice interrupted them.

 

“Go get him, Tooru!” Kuroo yelled over the parking lot.

 

“Wohoo!” Bokuto added. He and Akaashi had visited to watch their former team’s match and were invited to celebrate after that. The latter looked like he was already 120% done with their bullshit.

 

Hajime yelled back. “He already got him! Come talk to me when you managed to get that little gamer of yours.” He wrinkled his nose in mock pity. “Oh I forgot – he doesn’t even talk to you. Well, that’s a pity.”

 

When someone who didn’t know them would see them bickering in mock right now, they would surely think that all of that was an actual fight. Lucky for them they all knew better than that.

 

“Boooo! You’re no fun! Tooru, drill your boyfriend to be nicer already!”

 

Tooru winked. “Oh, he’s already nice. _Really_ nice, if you know what I mean.” He screamed with a lewd expression.

 

Kuroo wrinkled his nose in mock disgust. “Oh, please spare us with your sex life! I bet it’s terrible.” He shuddered.

 

Bokuto tilted his head to see said and thoughtfully watched the two lovebirds leaning against the car. “Bro, I don’t think there having a bad sex life. I mean, look at them. Oikawa’s practically glowing!”

 

Kuroo groaned in frustration and Akaashi put his hands on his boyfriend’s shoulders.

 

“All right, Bokuto-san. I think it’s time for us to go now.” He purposefully ignored Bokuto’s protests and waved in Tooru’s and Hajime’s direction. “Have a nice evening you two.”

 

“Thanks, you, too.” Tooru waved back, then forming a peace sign.

 

Hajime looked at his wrist. “Well, I think it’s time for us to go, too. Otherwise the foot’s going to spoil.”

 

“We’re having a picnic?” Tooru beamed at him.

 

“Yup, so get in the car already.”

 

They bid his goodbyes and then they were on the driveway.

 

“Where are we going, Iwa-chan?

 

“It’s a surprise. You don’t have to wait long, though.” Hajime answered without taking his eyes off the road.

 

Tooru was bouncing up and down in the passenger seat. “Oh, I love surprises~”

 

Hajime smirked.

 

_Oh, you’re going to love this one for sure._

 

After a twenty minutes ride they parked at the edge of a forest.

 

“We have to walk a bit from here, but I can assure you it’s worth it.” The dark brunet explained while he took a basket and a blanket out of the trunk.

 

“All right~”

 

After another ten minutes they arrived at a rather large glade in the middle of the forest. The grass was a pretty light green, a small lake extended at one edge. Bright flowers lined the lakefront.

 

Tooru looked around the glade in amazement. “It’s so beautiful here!”

 

Hajime smiled behind him. He was stretching the blanket for them to use it. “Wait when it’s night. The night sky here’s amazing.”

 

The amazed brunette crouched down on the blanket. “You’re such a romantic, Iwa-chan~”

 

The shorter man only smiled at that statement. One of his hands was in his pocket, a bit nervously playing with a small golden ring in there.

 

Shortly after they began eating in comfortable silence, admiring their surroundings.

 

When the sun has almost set and the first stars appeared on the clear night sky, Hajime pointed upwards.

 

“If I was you I would look up now.”

 

“Hmm?” Tooru looked at him, currently eating a strawberry, but then did what he was told.

 

He didn’t regret obeying his boyfriend’s order.

 

There were like thousands of meteors in the sky, seemingly falling out of the sky, bathing their surroundings in a soft light. The meteor’s reflection in the lake only increased the effect.

 

“Oh my god.” Tooru breathed out. He was to amazed to say anything more. Never in his life had he seen such a sight, let alone with the love of his life right next to him, currently taking his hand in his, intertwining their fingers.

 

“It’s so _beautiful_.” He whispered what must be like the hundred time that night. His mouth stood slightly open and the stars above them reflected in his glasses. His eyes were shining in awe.

 

While he was so absorbed in the natural spectacle right over their heads, Hajime took a deep breath and turned Tooru’s hand in his without him noticing it. The golden ring was now in his hands and in a fluent motion he slipped it on Tooru’s finger.

 

The moment the brunette noticed something cold on his finger he turned his head to look at it. What he saw nearly made his heart jump out of his chest. He looked at Hajime, his eyes big and shining.

 

Hajime cleared his throat, looking at his boyfriend, green eyes meeting brown ones. “Oikawa Tooru, I know you know that already, but I have to say it one more time. You’re the love of my life. Even if it wouldn’t be fixed by fate – I could never possibly stop loving you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to watch you play volleyball, I want to see that shine in your eyes, when you’re doing something you love. I want to cuddle you to sleep, I want to drift into sleep next to you and waking up again, knowing you’ll be at my sight.” He took a deep breath.

 

“Tooru, I love you with all of my heart, with all of my existence and I will never stop loving you.”

 

He looked down at their tangled fingers, the golden ring on Tooru’s finger glistered in the light of the thousands meteor’s above them. He looked up again.

 

“Do you want to marry me?”

 

Tooru couldn’t do anything than throwing himself at Hajime, his eyes wet.

 

“Of course I do!” He looped his arms around his fiance's neck, happily sobbing into his ears. “Of course! I love you. I love you so much.”

 

He heard Hajime mumbling something like _oh thank god_ before he responded the gesture, hugging Tooru tightly. They hearts hammered in their chests, almost in rhythm with each other.

 

After a few minutes Hajime loosened the embrace to be able to start softly kissing his fiance's neck. His lips tenderly wandered from his ear over his jaw until his lips finally hovered over the others lips.

 

They let all their emotions sweeping into that kiss. At first it was soft and tender, full of deep love and affection. When Hajime’s hands wandered under the hem of Tooru’s shirt completely out of their own things started to get a bit more heated. Their kiss deepened, their bodies pressed against each other, leaving room for nothing. They laid back on the blanket, Tooru on his back, Hajime hovering above him, his knees on either side of the setter’s thighs, but their hips didn’t touch yet.

 

The shorter man started littering Tooru’s neck with kisses, kissing and nipping at soft, sensible skin, leaving light red marks. Hajime kissed his way towards Tooru’s collarbone and started unbuttoning the latter’s shirt.

 

In the meantime Tooru’s hands had started wandering, too. He caressed Hajime’s lower back, fingers slipping under the hem of his plain black shirt. When Hajime had finished unbuttoning the button-down his lips wandered back towards Tooru’s ear, his hands tenderly gliding over the taller one’s flushed chest, caressing every single inch of his beautiful body.

 

When he bit down right behind Tooru’s ear the latter let out a small gasp and unconsciously lifted his hips. The small gasp turned into a low moan when their lower bodies met. Out of instinct, Hajime grind his hips back down, meeting Tooru’s in the middle.

 

In a hurry Tooru tugged at Hajime’s shirt, signalizing him to take it of. He himself slipped out of his own shirt in the meantime. In an instant they lips pressed together again, naked chests gliding against each other. The heat between them increased steadily.

 

After a moment Hajime broke the kiss to continue kissing Tooru’s neck. This time his lips didn’t stop at the others collarbone but instead wandered lower, kissing over his chest, leaving small bites.

 

Tooru was already writhing underneath him, breathing fast. His eyes were closed in bliss, his head thrown back, his back lifted from the ground out of pure desire to feel Hajime’s touches even more.

 

When the dark brunet reached his destination Tooru was already an incoherent mess. His flushed chest was covered in love bites and he was breathing hard, almost falteringly.

 

“Iwa-” He whispered out of breath.

 

Hajime was currently nipping at Tooru’s navel, feeling the heat radiating off him, while his fingers slowly unbuttoned his jeans. His lips wandered over to kiss Tooru’s hipbones, now dragging down the zipper.

 

“Lift your hips.” He quickly ordered. Tooru did as he was told without any hesitation and Hajime swiftly pulled off his jeans, leaving him only in his dark blue boxer briefs.

 

His lips were back on Tooru’s firm stomach in an instant, his tongue dipping under the hem of his boxers. With his teeth he started to pull them of, but he had to use his hands to completely get his writhing fiance out of them.

 

When they were off, Tooru now laying completely naked in the middle of a random forest, Hajime kissed his way down the inner side of Tooru’s thighs, admiring the strong muscles and leaving hickeys low enough to see them during practice the next day.

 

After a while he finally turned his attention towards that part of body, which craved the most for his touch. Tooru practically screamed in pleasure when his fiance started kissing the tip of his cock, licking down his shaft and then taking it in completely.

 

They went slow that night. Neither of them wanted to waste the moment and with that they took their time. By the time Hajime finally entered Tooru’s body they were both shaking in anticipation. The heat between them seemed to increase with ever single thrust, leaving them breathless and at the same time in the want for more. Hajime didn’t stop littering his boyfriend’s chest with kisses while he slowly thrust into him, steadily increasing his pace.

 

The warm night air was filled with low moans and soft screams of pleasure, the sound of heated kisses and skin meeting skin, over and over and over again.

 

They came together, tightly embraced, with their names on their lips.

 

For a while they just laid there on the blanket, the star-littered night sky above them, one single meteor falling down here and there. The sound of the woods and their breaths slowly regaining their normal pace were the only things audible.

 

At some point they readjusted their positions, Tooru’s head laying on Hajime’s chest, a blanket was covering their bodies. Tooru’s fingers were drawing invisible patterns on his fiance's chest. After a while he turned his head to look at the night sky and lifted his hands towards the sky.

 

The golden band glistered in the light of the little lantern standing next to them, the guttering of the candlelight drawing mystical patterns over everything next to it.

 

Hajime’s hand joined Tooru’s. Some time along the way he put on his own ring. Both looked at their intertwined hands, at the golden bands and both their minds were binding on the one thing related to them.

 

_Forever._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even know why I let Kageyama suffer so much. I hate myself.  
> Oh, that was my first time writing smut, btw. Well, rather an attempt of writing it. I hope it wasn't that terrible. 
> 
> If you want to message me, I have a tumblr!  
> haikyuu-supreme-trash.tumblr.com


End file.
